V 


A, 


%. 


S^^.  \%^  Zs% 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


A 


{/ 


1.0 


u 


«-  IIIIIM 


»« 


lAO 


IIM 

2.2 


2.0 


1.8 


1.25      1.4 

1.6 

< 

6"     — 

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


«!, 


.^^ 


<^ 


^>. 


o 


a.^ 


o^ 


^^ 


> 


1. 


'V^ 


"%^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


o 


^J 


ii-^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


Th 
to 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checiced  below. 


0 


D 


n 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagte 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pelliculAe 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  inic  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli4  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Bianit  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  iorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmAes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm6  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  AtA  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibllographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pellicui^es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxe( 
Pages  dicolor^es,  tachet6es  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quallt^  in6gale  de  I'Impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I      I  Pages  damaged/ 

I      I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I — I  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~~]  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


Th 
pc 
of 
fill 


Or 
be 
th( 
si< 
ot 
fir 
si( 
or 


Th 
shi 
Til 
wt 

Ml 
dif 
en 
be 
rig 
rec] 
mfl 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  ha*'e  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  M  fllm^es  A  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  Image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checiced  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmii  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


tails 

du 
odifier 

une 
mage 


M 


The  copy  filmed  Iw  a  has  been  reproduced  thanlcs 
to  the  generosity  of: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  tup  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  f ut  roproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArosit6  d«s: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  ccr?:porte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
filat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
^la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaTtra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  —►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
fiim^s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ciichA,  11  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  drolte. 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  l«  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


rata 


telure. 


}2X 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

t^.: 


^J-'^:v  1 


>^^l^'. 


S'^*«<t' 


-»' 


/■ 


&*<  '*  ■r^''^."'^ 


*.-. 


,1.»:c 


5^ 


,'A 


.^-v        ' 


\- 


f    -5 


^^ 


THE  BURGOYNE  CAMPAIGN. 


57 


BEMIS  HEIGHTS, 


SEPT'R  19TH  AND  OCT'R  7TH,  1777. 


HAUVER  ISLAND  AND  ITS  FORTIFICATIONS. 


BY  H.  C.  MAINE,  A.  M., 
(Oflhe  Troy  Whig.) 


Iiistrated  with  Pen  Drawings  by  Buckland. 


TROY,    N.    Y,: 

TROT   WHia   PUBLISBINO   CO.,   PRINTKR8. 

1877. 


J 
f 


^i 


I 


,i-- 


,-i       rfl 


H^ 


PREFACE. 


A  desire  to  search  out  and  record  in  some  permanent  form  tlic  history 
of  the  occupation  by  an  American  army  in  1777,  of  Ilauver  and  Van 
Schaick's  islands,  at  the  sprouts  of  the  Mohawk,  gave  rise  to  these  pages. 
The  remains  of  fortifications  on  Hauver  island,  are  undoubtedly  the  beat 
preserved  of  any  relics  of  the  revolutionary  struggle.  A  study  of  the  his- 
tory of  these  interesting  remains  opened  to  the  whole  history  of  Bur- 
goyne's  campaign  and  preceding  events  in  the  Cbamplain,  St.  Lawrence 
and  Hudson  valleys.  In  connection  with  the  historical  record,  the  writer 
sought  to  preserve  by  art,  accurate  repres^entations  of  historic  localities 
as  they  appear  to-day.  On  account  of  the  great  cost  of  illustration,  the 
difficulties  were  considerable.  Happily  there  fell  into  the  writer's  hands, 
the  circular  of  a  Boston  house,  the  Photo-Electrotype  Company,  announc- 
ing a  new  discovery  by  which  the  art  of  illustration  wae  rendered  com- 
paratively inexpensive.  The  method  was  tested  and  the  illustrations  of 
these  pages  are  the  result.  They  have  defects,  nevertheless  they  are  faith- 
ful and  accurate,  having  been  reproduced  with  the  greatest  fidelity  from 
original  sketches  by  H.  Buckland.  We  trust  they  may  add  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  localities  now  so  interesting,  and  may  guide  our  readers  to  a 
more  complete  understanding  of  the  operations  of  the  two  armies  engaged 
in  the  valley  of  the  upper  Hudson.  For  valuable  aid  and  encouragement 
in  the  preparation  of  these  brief  pages,  we  are  greatly  indebted  to  Hon. 
James  Forsyth,  B.  H.  Hall,  Dr.  C.  C.  Schuyler,  grand-nephew  of  Gen. 
Philip  Schuyler,  and  H.  Buckland,  the  artist.  The  principal  object  of 
these  pages  is  to  briefly  describe  the  two  great  battles  on  the  field  of 
Bemis  Heights,  which  finally  decided  the  fate  of  Burgoyne's  army  in  1777. 

Tboy,  N.  T.,  Sept.  19,  1877,  B.  c.  m. 


BURGOYNE'S  FIRST  EXPEDITION  IN  1776. 


m 


■1 


'0  a  good  understanding  of  the  two  great  events  on 
ll  Bemis  Heights,  September  19  and  October  7,  1777, 
a  brief  review  of  preceding  operations  in  the  north 
is  necessary.  After  the  first  collision  at  Lexington, 
April  19,  1775,  it  was  the  intention  of  the  patriots 
to  sieze  and  hold  the  gateway  to  Canada,  and  if 
possible  induce  that  province  to  join  in  the  struggle 
for  liberty.  By  the  aid  of  the  provincial  assembly  of  Con- 
necticut, Ethan  Allen  and  Seth  Warner,  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire grants,  (iiow  Vermont),  Col.  Easton  of  Pittsfield, 
Mass.,  accompanied  by  Benedict  Arnold,  of  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  as  a  volunteer,  seized  Ticonderoga  on  the  10th  of 
May,  1775  and  the  fortress  of  Crown  Point  on  the  12th. 
Both  were  strong.  Crown  Point  was  fortified  by  the 
French  in  1731,  and  afterwards  strengthened  by  the  English. 
Ticonderoga  was  fortified  by  the  French  in  1755.  The 
continental  congress  elected  George  Washington  commander- 
in-chief  on  the  15th  of  June,  1775,  and  appointed  Ar- 
temus  Ward,  Charles  Lee,  Philip  Schuyler,  and  Israel 
Putnam  major  generals,  Horatio  Gates  adjutant  general, 
and  Seth  Pomeroy,  Richard  Montgomery,  David  Wooster, 
William  Heath,  Joseph  Spencer,  John  Thomas,  John  Sulli- 
van and  Nathaniel  Greene  brigadier  generals. 

After  precious  time  had  been  wasted  Gen.  Schuyler  and 
Gen.  Montgomery  set  out  for  the  conquest  of  Canada.  St. 
John's  was  besieged  near  the  close  of   August,  1775,  by 


I 


^l 


n 


I 


Montgomery,  General  Schuyler*  retiring  to  Ticonderoga  on 
account  of  severe  illDesB.  On  the  25th  of  September  Col. 
Ethan  Allen  was  captured  in  an  ill-starred  expedition  from 
St.  John's  against  Montreal,  and  was  sent  to  England  in 
irons.  St.  John's  fell  on  the  3d  of  November  and  Mont- 
gomery soon  after  entered  Montreal  in  triumph.  He 
pushed  on  to  Quebec,  arriving  December  5th,  having  joined 
Col.  Arnold  who  had  arrived  November  9th,  and  for  a  time 
had  invested  the  city  with  about  a  thousand  men,  having 
made  a  terrible  march  of  thirty-two  days  from  Cambridge 
through  the  wilderness  of  the  Kennebec  and  Chaudiere 
rivera.  In  Arnold's  expedition,  Capt.  Daniel  Morgan  of 
Virginia,  who  was  afterwards  so  conspicuous  at  Demis 
Heights,  commanded  a  body  of  riflemen.  Quebec  was  im- 
mediately besieged  and  an  assault  was  made  December  SIst, 
when  Arnold  was  wounded  and  Montgomery  killed.. 

For  his  gallant  service  Arnold  was  made  a  brigadier 
general.  Quebec  was  defended  by  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  gov- 
ernor of  the  province,  and  a  brave,  humane  and  skillful 
general.  Arnold  became  chief  in  command  of  the  defeated 
army  and  hopelessly  continued  the  siege  of  Quebec,  his 
troops  enduring  a  rigorous  winter.  He  was  relieved  April 
Ist,  1776,  by  Gen.  Wooeter,  Arnold  assuming  command  at 


ii 


•  Oencral  Philip  Schuyler  was  born  at  Albany  on  the  22d  of  November,  1783. 
His  grand  lather,  Peter  Schuyler,  was  mayor  of  Albany  and  commander  of  the 
northern  militia  in  1600.  His  father,  John  Schoyler,  married  Cornelia  Van  Cort- 
land, and  Philip  wag  their  eldest  son.  He  inherited  the  vast  estate  of  hit  father, 
by  the  custom  of  primogeniture,  but  generously  shared  his  wealth  wltti  his 
brothers  and  sisters.  'Xoung  Schuyler  commanded  a  company  niider  Sir  William 
Johnson  at  Lake  George  in  1765.  He  became  a  favorite  of  Lord  Howe,  and  when 
that  officer  fell  before  Ticonderoga  in  1758,  Col.  8  hnyler  conveyed  his  remains  to 
Albany.  After  the  peace  of  176.3  he  was  active  in  the  civil  government  of  New 
York.  In  the  Colonial  Assembly  of  New  York,  he  was  a  powerful  opponent  of  the 
aggressions  of  Great  Britain.  He  was  elected  to  the  Continental  Congress 
which  assembled  In  May  1775,  and  was  appointed  a  Major  General  on  June  16th 
following.  He  was  placed  in  command  of  the  army  in  Northern  New  York  and 
an  expedition  to  Canada.  Alter  most  eminent  service  in  which  he  performed 
wonders  in  spite  of  the  factious  opposition  of  John  Adaui»  and  a  powerful  New 
England  influence,  he  was  superseded  in  the  command  of  the  northern  army  on  the 
19th  of  August,  1777.  After  the  constitution  was  formed  he  was  elected  a  senator 
with  Rufus  King,  and  subsequently  in  place  of  Aaron  Burr  in  17i)7.  He  died  in 
Albany,  November  18th,  1804,  aged  71  years.  His  daughter  Elizabeth  was  the 
wife  of  Alexander  Hamilton. 


Montreal.  Wooster  was  in  turn  relieved  by  Gen.  Thomas, 
who  arrived  at  Quebec  May  1.  He  made  an  unsuccesaful 
attempt  to  take  the  city  on  May  3d,  and  on  May  6th  was 
driven  frota  Quebec  by  the  arrival  of  British  ships  and  re- 
inforcements from  England  under  Gens.  Burgoyne  and 
Riedesel.  Gen.  Thomas  retreated  to  the  mouth  of  the  Sorel, 
the  outlet  of  Lake  Champlain.  He  was  prostrated  by  small- 
pox, and  carried  to  Chambly,  where  he  died  June  2d,  1776. 
Gen.  John  Sullivan  then  took  command  of  the  little  army, 
June  5  and,  threw  up  fortifications  at  the  mouth  of  the  Sorel. 
Part  of  Sullivan's  force  was  defeated  at  Three  Rivers,  by 
the  British  advance  under  General  Frazer.  The  Americans 
were  commanded  by  Thompson  and  Wayne.  On  the  14th 
of  June,  Sullivan  on  the  approach  of  the  British  fleet  re- 
treated to  Chambly,  and  being  joined  by  Arnold,  from 
Montreal,  retreated  thence  to  St.  John's,  soon  after  to  Isle 
Aux  Noix,  and  early  in  June,  1776,  to  Crown  Point.  In 
order  to  fully  understand  this  disastrous  ending  of  the 
American  invasion  of  Canada,  let  us  briefly  glance  at  the 
British  plans  and  operations  in  that  province. 

During  the  winter  of  1775  and  1776  the  British  ministry 
had  prepared  to  drive  the  Americans  from  Canada  and  re- 
take Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga.  For  this  purpose  and 
to  reinforce  the  British  army  in  America,  the  British  gov- 
ernment, in  the  face  of  strenuous  opposition  in  Parliament 
by  Chatham,  Burke,  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  others, 
concluded  treaties  with  the  Pi'ince  of  Hesse  Darmstadt 
(treaty  dated  January  5th,  1776,)  the  duke  ot  Brunswick, 
(treaty  dated  January  9,  1776,)  and  the  landgrave  of  Hesse 
Cassel,  (treaty  dated  January  15,  1776,)  for  the  hire  of 
17,300  men  for  service  in  America.  These  troops  were 
mostly  forced  from  their  homes  and  impressed  into  service, 
being  first  shut  up  in  fortresses  and  subjected  to  the  se- 
verest discipline.  They  were  loaded  down  with  the  heaviest 
arms  and  accoutrements.  One  of  their  drums  captured  at 
Bennington,  now  in  the  hall  of  the  Massachusetts  senate, 
weighs  twenty  pounds.  Their  guns  were  very  heavy  and 
their  swords  of  enormous  size  and  weight.  Stedman  the 
historian,  and  a  staff  officer  of  Cornwallis,  said  that  the  hats 


I 


i 


t 


fl 


■!;/ 
i,j'%. 


6 


and  8Word8  of  the  German  soldiers  weighed  very  nearly  as 
much  as  the  whole  e((uipment  of  one  of  the  English,  and 
that  the  worst  British  regiment  could  easily  march  two 
miles  to  their  one.  The  canteens  of  the  Germans  held  a 
gallon,  and  when  full  weighed  ten  or  twelve  pounds.  Their 
caps  had  a  heavy  brass  front  with  the  legend,  nunquam 
relrorsum  (never  backward).  Many  of  these  men  were 
seized  while  at  church,  and  most  of  them  were  excellent 
citizens.  Many  deserted  in  Europe,  and  after  reaching 
America.  Some  of  our  best  citizens  were  descended  from 
these  Germans,  who  were  bought  to  be  shot  in  America. 
They  were  the  best  disciplined  men  in  the  British  army. 
It  is  related  by  Major  General  Heath,  of  the  American 
army,  in  his  memoirs,  that  at  ihe  battle  of  Brandy  wine, 
the  Hessian  grenadiers,  after  crcising  Chad's  ford,  "  halted 
at  the  foot  of  the  liill,  below  the  Americans,  under  a  warm 
Are,  and  with  great  deliberation  changed  their  hats  (undress) 
for  their  heavy  brass  caps,  and  then  ascended  the  hill,  from 
which  the  Americans  were  obliged  to  retire."  For  these 
men  the  German  princes  were  paid  a  subsidy,  and  seven 
pounds  four  shillings  and  four  pence  sterling  for  each  soldier, 
and  as  much  more  for  every  one  killed. 

The  first  division  of  these  troops,  Brunswickers,  destined 
for  Canada,  embarked  at  Stade,  March  17, 1776.  They  were 
commanded  by  Major  General  Friedrich  Adolph  Riedesel, 
an  honorable  gentlemen  and  brave  and  skillful  officer. 
Under  him  were  Lieutenant  Colonel  Friedrich  Baum,  (kil- 
led at  Bennington,  August  16, 1777),ColonelJohann  Fried- 
rich Breyman,  (killed  at  Bemis  Heights,  October  7, 1777), 
Colonel  Johann  Friedrich  Specht,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Praetorius,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Gustav  von  Ehrenkrock, 
Colonel  Wilhelm  von  !^  th,  and  other  brave  officers.  The 
Brunswickers  numbered  about  4,000.  The  command  sailed 
under  convoy  from  Spithead,  April  4,  1776.  Gen.  John 
Burgoyne,  who  had  witnessed  the  battle  of  BUnker  Hill,  and 
subsequently  returned  to  England,  followed  the  next  day 
with  Gen.  William  Phillips.  Riedesel's  troops  arrived  at 
Quebec  about  the  first  of  May,  Gens.  Burgoyne  and  Phillips 
arriving  about  the  same  time.    This  army  joined  Garletou, 


i 


who  was  commander-in-chief  and  after  defeating  the  Amer- 
icans at  Three  Rivers  drove  them  out  of  Canada.  Gen. 
Carleton  proceeded  with  part  of  his  forces  to  Cliumbly  and 
St.  John's.  At  tlie  latter  place  he  built  a  lleet,  consuming 
the  entire  summer. 


WASHINGTOtr,  FROM  STUART'S  PAINTING. 

In  response  to  repeated  requests  by  Gen.  Schuyler  to  aid 
the  army  in  Canadfl,  congress  on  the  17th  of  May  voted  to 
send  an  experienced  general  to  Canada.  Without  consult- 
ing Washington,  Congress  directed  him  to  send  Gen.  Hora- 
tio Gates*  to  command  in  Canada.  He  was  given  ab- 
solute power  of  appointment  and  removal  of  all  officers  of 
the  army  operating  in  Canada  by  simply  notifying  the 
changes  to  Congress  for  their  approval.  John  Adams  who 
was  chairman  of  the  board  of  war  believed  in  Gates  above 

*  Gen.  Horatio  Gates  was  a  traiood  British  aoldier,  tbo  e>on  of  an  En^Uab  clergy- 
man. He  was  born  in  Essex,  England,  in  1738.  He  entered  the  army  at  an  early 
age  and  was  sent  to  America  to  light  against  the  French  and  Indians.  He  was 
wounded  In  the  unfortanate  expedition  under  Braddock.  After  peace  with  Franco 
he  settled  In  V?'*;'.r 'a.  At  the  commencement  of  the  revolution  he  tendered  his 
services  to  Cc'-.^r  fs  and  wad  chosen  Adjutant  Qoneral.  He  assisted  Washington 
In  the  dl8Cip!'<  ■!  ->f  the  t  rces  at  Cambridge  In  l'J7S.  He  was  a  good  tactician,  but 
thatls  abMit  «1I  tu  >!:  ''^n  he  said  in  his  fevor.  He  profited  by  the  labor  ol  others. 
With  Adams'  Ider-'^bip  and  his  own  presumption  he  achieved  a  considerable 
reputa'loii  «'  <  m  tme,  but  lost  it  all  by  plotting  against  Washington,  and  by 
ntter  failaro  'n  the  .'ioatb. 


r 


.  ^ 


1 

I 

m 


% 

y  f 


ft(  i 


8 


i 

.  i 
\  I 


all  men.  Other  New  England  delegates  who  then  formed  a 
strong  faction  in  Congress  also  believed  that  Gates  was  the 
man  who  could  best  conduct  military  operations.  Gates 
had  recently  been  promoted  to  a  major  general,  and  it  is 
known  that  John  Adams  already  had  him  in  training  to 
succeed  Gen.  Schuyler  in  command  of  the  northern  depart- 
ment. The  infatuation  of  Adams  and  his  compeers  is 
unaccountable.  The  instructions  given  to  Gates  made 
him  in  many  respects  the  superior  of  both  Washington 
and  Schuyler,  thanks  to  the  egotism  and  strenuous  partisan- 
ship of  Adams.  Gen.  Gates  arrived  in  Albany  to  find  his  occu- 
pation gone,  the  broken  American  army  having  retired  from 
Canada  to  Crown  Point.  Notwithstanding  this,  Gates  was 
determined  to  take  absolute  control  of  the  army  that  had  been 
in  Canada,  although  it  had  left  that  province.  Gen.  Schuyler 
made  an  issue  with  him  and  was  sustained.  Gates  finally  pro- 
ceeded to  the  north,  subject  to  the  orders  of  Gen.  .Schuyler. 
Upon  the  appointment  of  Gates,  Gen.  Sullivan  left  the  north- 
ern department  and  joined  Gen.  Washington.  A  council  of 
officers  under  Gates  decided  to  abandon  Crown  Point  and 
retire  to  Ticonderoga  with  the  consent  of  G  en.  Schuyler. 
Washington  regretted  this  movement. 

In  the  meantime  a  portion  of  the  British  and  German 
troops,  destined  for  America,  independrnt  of  those  already 
arrived  in  Canada  under  Gen.  Burgoyne,  had  arrived  and 
landed  at  Staten  Island.  By  the  middle  of  July,  30,000 
troops  were  encamped  on  Staten  Island  under  command  of 
Gen.  Howe  and  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  ready  to  fall  upon 
Washington's  army  at  Brooklyn. 

Under  the  direction  of  Gates  and  Arnold,  a  small  fleet 
was  constructed  at  Ticonderoga  during  the  summer  of 
1776  and  placed  under  command  of  Arnold,  who,  on  the 
11th  of  October,  fought  a  naval  battle  with  Gen.  Carleton's 
fleet,  in  the  channel  between  Valcour  island  and  the  western 
shore  of  Lake  Camplain.  Arnold,  after  a  desperate 
battle,  was  defeated  with  the  loss  of  seven  of  his  vessels,  the 
rest  escaping  to  Ticonderoga.  Gen.  Carleion  occupied 
Crown  Point  on  the  14th  of  October.    It  was  too  late,  how- 


9 


m 


ever,  in  the  opinion  of  Carleton,  to  attempt  a  junction  with 
Howe,  although  Burgoyne  and  Riedesel  desired  to  push  on. 
Hearing  nothing  from  Howe,  the  position  of  the  Americans 
was  reconnoitered,  and  on  the  3d  of  November  Carleton  re- 
tii'ed  from  Crown  Point  to  winter  quarters  in  Canada.  His 
cautiousness  cost  him  his  command,  for  Burgoyne  was 
selected  to  command  an  expedition  the  coming  season,  that 
was  to  penetrate  the  country  by  the  valley  of  the  Hudson 
and  cut  the  rebellious  colonies  in  two.  He  sailed  for  Eng- 
land on  the  2Gth  of  October  to  confer  with  the  ministry  and 
complete  his  plans. 

On  August  27,  1776,  Washington  was  defeated  on  Long 
Island.  He  was  driven  from  Harlem  Plains  September  16, 
was  defeated  at  Wliite  Plains  October  28,  but  gained  a  vic- 
tory at  Trenton  December  26.  and  at  Princeton  January 
3d,  and  withdrew  to  winter  quarters  at  Morristown,  in  East 
Jersey.  By  permission  of  Gen.  Schuyler,  Gen.  Gates  left 
Ticonderoga  in  the  beginning  of  November  and  proceeded 
to  Philadelphia  to  continue  his  efforts  for  the  chief  com- 
mand in  the  north. 


^   t 


il 


m 


MOLTAR. 


I 


I 


3M    ^ 


(' 


THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  1777. 


^HE  winter  at  Ticoiuleroga  Avas  a  gloomy  one.    The 

garrison   had  dwindled   to  a  few  hundred  men  in 

^  February,  1777.     The  garrison  was  under  command 

of  Col.  Anthony  Wayne,  afterwards  the  hero  of 

Stony  Point. 

Thaddeus  Kosciusko,  the  eminent  Pole,  was  at 
Ticonderoga  during  the  winter.  Under  his  direction,  the 
fortress  on  Mount  Independence,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
lake,  was  strengthened,  and  a  boom  was  constructed  to  pre- 
vent the  passage  of  vessels  to  Skenosborough  (now  White- 
hall). Every  effort  in  his  power  was  made  by  Gen.  Schuyler 
to  strengthen  and  properly  garrison  Ticonderoga,  but  on 
account  of  the  opposition  of  John  Adams  and  others,  in  New 
England,  Schuyler's  efforts  were  crippled,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  defend  himself,  which  he  did  in  an  inquiry  ho  de- 
manded of  Congress,  he  having  been  chosen  a  delegate  from 
New  York.  A  committee  of  inquiry  was  appointed  on  the 
18th  of  April.  This  committee,  after  a  tardy  examination, 
reported  favorably,  and  Congress  confirmed  him  in  his  com- 
mand. 

Before  Gen.  Schuyler's  case  had  been  examined,  or  any 
opportunity  for  defense  had  been  furnished  him.  Congress 
had  ordered  Gates  to  repair  immediately  to  Ticonderoga  to 
take  command  there,  and  employ  Gen.  DeFermoy  and  such 
other  French  ofiicers  as  he  thought  proper.  Gen.  Arthur 
St.  Clair  was  also  ordered  to  Ticonderoga  to  report  to  Gates. 
On  the  17th  of  April,  the  day  before  the  Schuyler  inquiry 
was  ordered.  Gates  arrived  in  Albany  with  the  officers  de- 
tailed to  act  under  him. 

Gen.  Schuyler  arrived  in  Albany  on  the  3d  of  June,  where 
he  was  received  with  great  joy.  Gen.  Gates  was  still  at  Al- 
bany, but  his  occupation  was  gone  again,  John  Adams  hav- 
ing made  another  failure.    But  Gates  again  proposed  to  hold 


11 


to  the  commission  of  Congress  in  spite  of  Gen.  Sclinyler, 
but  he  failed  again  and  returned  to  Philadelphia,  much  in- 
censed. Generals  St.  Clair  and  D-^B^ermoy,  by  command  of 
Gen.  Schuyler,  proceeded  to  Ticonderoga  on  the  5th  of  June. 
Gen.  St.  Clair  had  command,  having  been  made  a  major- 
general  in  February  preceding.  As  the  summer  advanced 
recruits  began  to  reach  Ticonderoga  slowly. 

Lieutenant  General  Burgoyne,  after  fully  perfecting  his 
plans,  left  London  for  Canada  on  the  37th  of  March,  1777. 
Although  in  high  spirits,  the  great  opportunity  had  been 
lost,  and  he  was  bound  on  a  bootless  errand.  On  the  Gth 
of  May  Burgoyne  arrived  at  Quebec  with  the  commission 
of  commander-in-chief  of  the  troops  in  Canada.  Never- 
theless the  command  of  the  home  garrison  was  delegated 
to  Gov.  Carleton,  and  Burgoyne  only  commanded  the  expe- 
dition. On  the  12th  of  May  thirty-nine  vessels  arrived  at 
Quebec  with  400  of  the  troops  purchased  from  ILmau, 
eleven  companies  from  England,  a  number  of  cannon  ad 
a  large  quantity  of  war  material.  By  the  18th  of  June  the 
whole  of  the  expedition  had  arrived  at  Cumberland  Head 
on  Lake  Champlam. 

In  addition  to  the  formidable  army  of  Burgoyne,  an  ex- 
pedition set  out  from  Montreal  under  Lieut.-Col.  St.  Leger, 
who  had  been  commissioned  by  George  the  Third  to  lead  an 
independent  force  into  the  Mohawk  country,  to  make  a  way 
to  Albany,  in  the  rear  of  the  main  army  of  the  Americans. 
The  expedition  consisted  of  a  force  of  British,  Canadians 
and  Indians,  with  Sir  John  Johnson,  of  Johnstown,  and  a 
body  of  his  retainers  and  tories. 

About  the  middle  of  June,  Gen.  Schuyler  heard  of  Bur- 
goyne's  advance   and  plans.     Every  effort  was   made  by 
Schuyler  to  reinforce  Ticonderoga,  but  with  little  success. 
Troops  were  sent  by  Washington  to  Peekskill,  but  they  re 
mained  there  until  it  was  too  late. 

Burgoyne  moved  from  Cumberland  Head  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Bouquet,  in  Essex  county,  where  he  encamped  on  the 
21st  and  addressed  the  Indians  who  had  joined  him.  His 
army  was  a  splendid  body  of  men.     It  was  composed  of  three 


i.* 


tf' 


»*■ 


f 


12 

thousoud  seven  hundred  and  twenty-four  Britislt,  rank 
and  file ;  nearly  four  thousand  Germans,  mostly  liruns- 
wickers;  two  hundred  and  fifty  Canadians,  four  hundred 
Indians  and  four  hundred  and  seventy-three  artillerymen  ; 
in  all  between  eight  thousand  and  nine  thousand  men.  Its 
train  of  bronze  artillery  was  the  finest  that  ever  was  mar- 


ONE  OF  BURGOTNE'S    CANNON,   NOW    IN  THE    WATERVLIET 

ARSENAL. 

shaled  with  an  army  of  like  size.  The  artillery  was  under 
command  of  Major-General  Wm.  Phillips,  who  had  distin- 
guished himself  in  the  wars  in  Germany.  '^Phe  Germans 
Avere  commanded  by  Major-General  Riedesel,  a  brave  and 
experienced  Brunswick  officer.  The  remainder  of  the  force 
was  commanded  by  Burgoyne,  and  Brig.-Gen.  Simon 
Frazer,  a  gallant  Scotch  ofticer  upon  whom  Burgoyne  great- 
ly relied.  The  preceding  cut  is  taken  from  one  of  Bur- 
goyne's  twelve  pounders,  surrendered  by  the  convention  of 
Saratoga,  October  17,  1777.  It  is  of  bronze,  highly  orna- 
mented with  coats  of  arms  and  inscriptions.  It  has  in« 
scribed  upon  it  the  following,  which  is  significant  in  con- 
nection with  the  notable  failure  of  the  British  army  in  the 
south  to  co-operate  with  Burgoyne  : 

The  Hight  Honorable  Liord  Geo.  Sackville, 

Liieut.-Gren.,  and  the  Resu  of  the 

Principal   Officers  of  £Cis 

Majesty's  Ordnance. 

Lord  George  Sackville,  afterward  Lord  George  Germaine, 
secretary  of  state  for  the  colonies,  according  to  Lord  Ed- 
ward Fitzmaurice,  in  his  life  of  the  Earl  of  Shelburne, 
properly  signed  the  dispatches  to  Burgoyne,  which  had  been 
settled  upon,  and  they  were  sent  off  in  an  early  packet,  but 
the  dispatches  to  Gen.  Howe,  ordering  him  to  co-operate  with 
Burgoyne  were  not  well  copied,  and  Lord  Germaine  did  not 


13 


sign  or  wait  for  another  copy,  but  posted  off  to  his  country 
seat  to  take  his  pleasure.  When  lie  was  ready  in  London 
again  to  sign,  Burgoyne's  dispatches  had  been  gone  some 
time.  The  vessel  which  carried  Howe's  orders  was  detained 
on  its  voyage,  so  that  Howe  went  off  in  the  wrong  direction 
leaving  Burgoyne  to  his  fate.  After  tlie  dispatches  were  re- 
ceived, Howe  did  what  he  could,  but  it  was  too  late. 

On  the  25tli  of  June  Burgoyne  moved  to  Crown  Point 
and  issued  a  pompous  proclamation,  stating  that  he  "  had 
come  to  put  an  end  to  the  enormities  of  the  people,"  and  in- 
vited all  well  disposed  to  join  him,  and  threatening  ven- 
geance upon  the  hardened  enemies  of  Britain,  through  his 
Indian  allies.  His  bombast  only  excited  ridicule.  On  the 
first  of  July  he  moved  upon  Ticonderoga  in  two  divisions 
with  his  fleet  between  them.  The  corps  of  Gen.  Phillips 
was  upon  the  west  shore  and  the  Germans  of  Gen.  Riedesel 
upon  the  east. 

To  oppose  the  formidable  army  of  Burgoyne,  Gen.  Schuy- 
ler had  two  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-six  Continentals 
and  nine  hundred  militia,  the  latter  almost  wholly  without 
bayonets,  entrenched  at  Ticonderoga  and  Mount  Independ- 
ence. The  garrison  was  wholly  insufficient  to  man  the  works. 
Gen.  Schuyler  was  at  Albany  awaiting  the  reinforcements 
from  Peekskill. 

On  the  second  of  July,  T  .  Clair  abandoned  the  old 
French  lines  toward  lake  George.  On  the  3d  Generals 
Phillips  and  Frazer  occupied  Mount  Hope  north  of  and 
commanding  the  outlet  of  Lake  George.  On  the  east  side 
Col.  Breyman  threatened  the  road  to  Castleton,  Vermont. 
On  the  night  of  the  4th  of  July,  by  advice  of  Burgoyne's 
engineer,  Lieut.  Twiss,  a  road  was  made  to  the  summit  of 
Mount  Defiance  on  the  south  side  of  the  outlet  of  Lake 
George  and  cannon  dragged  to  the  top,  thus  commanding 
the  American  works. 


m 


t 


d 


V  '»■ 


h 


n 


■m^m»immimm^mi 


4ii^-' 


ONE  OF  burgoyne's  HOWITZERS, 


*1 


14 


If 


On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  St.  Clair  and  his  officers  de* 
cided  to  evacuate.  At  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
6th  the  garrison  was  put  in  motion.  The  main  body  set 
out  for  Oastleton  with  Col.  Ebenezer  Francis  of  Massachu- 
setts commanding  the  rear  guard.  The  sick,  with  the 
provisions,  under  a  convoy  and  troops  under  Col.  Long, 
proceeded  by  batteaux  to  Skenesborough.  Before  leaving 
Mount  Indopendence  Gen,  De  Fermoy  set  fire  to  his  (quarters, 
revealing  the  retreat  to  the  British.  Gen.  Frazer  imme- 
diately began  pursuit.  Riedesel  and  Breyman  joined  in  the 
pursuit  with  their  Germans,  but  owing  to  their  heavy  ac- 
coutrements they  were  slower  than  Frazer,  who  came  up 
with  the  rear  guard  of  the  Americans  under  Francis  and 
Col.  Seth  Warner  at  Hubbardton,  23  miles  from  Ticonder- 
oga,  on  the  road  to  Castleton,  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  of 
July.  Frazer  immediately  attacked.  The  Americans  gave 
him  a  warm  reception,  displaying  signal  bravery.  But 
Hale's  regiment  ran  away  and  was  captured,  leaving  but 
700  men  to  fight  the  British  and  Germans.  The  men  under 
St.  Clair  refused  to  return  and  tight.  After  Riedesel's 
Germans  came  up  and  charged,  chanting  a  psalm,  the 
Americans  were  compelled  to  fall  back  with  the  loss  of  Col. 
Francis  and  324  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  exclusive  of 
Hale's  party.  At  one  time  the  Americans  got  the  advan- 
tage of  Frazer.  The  British  loss  was  only  183,  including 
Major  Grant.  This  was  the  only  battle  fought  in  Vermont. 
Col.  Warner  retreated  to  Manchester,  and  General  St.  Clair, 
after  wandering  in  the  forests  of  Vermont  for  nearly  a 
week,  reached  Fort  Edward  on  the  12th  of  July  with  1,500 
men. 

The  retreat  of  the  Americans  from  Ticonderoga  to 
Skenesborough  was  disastrous.  The  British  broke  the 
boom  between  Ticonderoga  and  Mount  Independence  and 
with  armed  vessels,  a  body  of  the  9th  British  Infantry 
under  Lieut.-Col.  Hill,  and  savages,  pursued,  and  were  upon 
the  Americans  as  they  landed.  Col.  Long  burned  the  boats 
and  storehouses  and  the  whole  party  fled  to  Fort  Anne, 
reaching  there  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  July.  Being 
reinforced,  Col.  Long  marched  out  to  meet  the  advance  of 


15 


i)iW& 


Oal,  ITill  on  the  Sth,  defeated  the  British,  but  retreated  to 
Fort  Anne  on  account  of  lack  of  ammunifcion;  burned  the 
fort  (an  old  stockade),  and  retreated  to  Fort  Edward. 

The  fall  of  Ticonderoga  produced  the  greatest  consterna- 
tion, and  the  settlers  in  northern  New  York  and  western 
Vermont  fled  from  their  homes  in  utter  terror. 

In  the  meantime  Gen.  Schuyler  had  waited  impatiently 
at  Albany  until  the  7th  of  July  for  the  arrival  of  troops 
from  Peekskill  to  reinforce  St.  Clair.  On  that  day  he  set 
out  for  the  north  with  a  few  militia,  the  Continentals  fail- 
ing to  arrive.  On  the  route,  between  Stillwater  and  Sara- 
toga, Gen.  Schuyler  learned  of  the  disaster,  the  full  extent 
of  which  was  not  known  until  St.  Clair  reached  Fort  Ed- 
ward on  the  12th. 

New  England  and  John  Adams  now  had  their  hour  of 
triumph.  They  had  shamefully  neglected  to  provide  for 
the  defense  of  the  fortress  of  Ticonderoga,  and  it  had  fallen. 
But  the  New  England  faction  did  not  take  any  blame 
to  themselves  but  attributed  all  the  misfortune  to  Gen. 
Schuyler.  The  good  Samuel  Adams  even  declared  in  a 
letter  to  Gen.  Lee  that  "it  was  no  more  than  he  expected 
when  Schuyler  was  again  appointed  to  command."  He 
added,  "  Gates  is  the  man  of  my  choice."  All  of  this  con- 
demnation was  freely  vented  before  any  of  the  particulars 
had  reached  Congress  or  New  England.  Gen  Schuyler  was 
even  accused  of  treason,  and  that  silver  balls  were  fired  by 
the  British  into  Ticonderoga  and  delivered  to  him  by  St. 
Clair.  This  ridiculous  story  was  believed  by  many.  Gen. 
Washington  cheered  Schuyler,  writing  to  him :  "  We 
should  never  despair."  The  army  had  lost  nearly  every- 
thing but  a  few  stores  at  Fort  George,  on  Lake  George. 

Burgoyne  arrived  at  Skenesborongh  on  the  lOtli  of  July 
and  waited  for  his  tents,  supplies  and  artillery.  The  delay 
was  his  defeat  and  ruin.     His  splendid  train  of  artillery  * 


i' 
h 


i'-. 


■*"[ 


*  A  great  number  of  Burgoyne's  fine  bronze  cannon  are  now  among  the  trophies 
at  the  Watervliet  arsenal.  The  cute  which  we  present  are  from  accurate  drawings 
of  these  guns.  This  artillery  was  very  fine  for  a  London  parade,  but  too  cumber- 
some for  a  campaign  in  the  forcgts  of  the  North.  Ills  train  coneisted  of  foity-two 
pieces. 


h 


16 

became  an  encumbrance  and  mastered  liim.     He  thought 


w-z" 


^•'-v 


MORTAR  SURRENDERED  BY  BURGOYNE  OCT.  17,  1777. 

he  was  a  victor  and  immediately  issued  an  exultant  order 
detailing  the  success  of  his  arms,  and  calling  upon  the 
people  to  join  him.  Schuyler  answered  him  in  vigorous 
style.  Burgoyne  was  'oined  at  Skenesborough  by  1,000  In- 
dians and  thought  himself  strong,  and  waited.  The  plan 
of  Burgoyne  was  for  his  main  body  to  move  on  to  Fort  Ed- 
ward, while  a  column  under  Phillips  was  to  proceed  up  Lake 
George,  reduce  Fort  George  at  its  southern  extremity  and 
join  the  main  body  at  Fort  Edward.  By  this  plan  Bur- 
goyne subjected  himself  to  the  delay  of  clearing  two  roads 
to  Fort  Edward.  It  is  stated  that  General  Kiedosel  favored 
a  route  from  Fort  George  directly  south  through  the  wilder- 
ness instead  of  marching  along  the  Hudson. 

While  Burgoyne  waited,  Schuyler  was  active.  He  re- 
moved the  stores  from  Fort  George  and  cut  trees  and 
destroyed  bridges  and  choked  Wood  creek  with  fallen  tim- 
ber, completely^  blocking  Burgoyne's  road.  He  also  called 
on  the  inhabitants  to  drive  their  cattle  and  horses  out  of 
Burgoyne's  reach.  Schuyler's  militia  was  destitute  of 
proper  food  and  shelter  and  were  deserting.  Still  he  toiled 
bravely  and  wrote  in  every  direction  for  help  to  oppose  Bur- 
goyne. Regarding  Fort  Edward  untenable,  with  the  aid  of 
Kosciusko,  the  famous  Pole,  he  fortified  a  position  at  Moses 
creek,  four  or  five  miles  below.  He  asked  for  an  ex- 
perienced general  officer,  and  the  brave  Gen.  Benedict  Ar- 
nold was  sent  by  Washington.  General  Benjamin  Lincoln 
of  Massachusetts  was  also  sent  to  command  the  eastern 
militia.  This  was  opportune,  for  the  New  England  militia 
irere  deserting  by  regiments  to  secure  their  harveats. 


17 


..+. 


^^jW 


COAT  OF  ARMS   FROM  OJfE  OF  BUBGOYNB'S  TWELVE 
POUNDERS. 

Oa  th3  2l3t  of  July  Bargjyue  began  his  advance  toward 
Port  Elsvai'J.  Th)  labor  wm  severe.  Gen.  Phillips  began 
to  cut  his  way  through  the  obstructions  from  Fort  George 
and  Gen.  Frazer  advanced  laboriously  from  Skenesborough 
by  way  of  Fort  Anne,  outstripping  Phillips.  By  tremen- 
dous effort  Frazer's  advance,  consisting  of  savages,  appeared 
before  Fort  Edward  on  the  36th  of  July  and  drove  in  the 
outposts.  Frazer  came  up  on  the  27th  and  Burgoyne  on 
the  3lst.  Only  a  small  force  was  in  tho  fort,  but  the  inhab- 
itants in  the  vicinity  immediately  took  shelter  in  it. 

On  the  27th  a  reconnoitering  party  under  Lieutenant 
Palmer  was  sent  from  the  fort.  The  party  fell  into  an  am- 
buscade a  mile  north  of  the  fort  and  fled  for  their  lives. 
The  Indians  pursuing  shot  and  scalped  eighteen.  When 
near  the  fort  Lieutenant  Palmer  was  shot.  The  Indians 
rushed  forward  and  entered  the  house  of  a  Mrs.  McNeil, 
who  was  a  cousin  of  Gen.  Frazer,  and  being  a  loyalist,  had 
not  entered  the  fort  for  protection.  The  Indians  there 
seized  Mrs.  McXeil  and  Jane  McCrea,  who  was  there  as  a 
visitor,  and  bore  them  toward  Gen.  Frazer's  headquarters  in 
the  direction  of  Sandy  Hill.  On  the  way  Jane  McCrea  was 
murdered  and  scalped  in  sight  of  the  fore.  Her  body  was 
3 


1' 


lU: 


I 


I- 


mr 


18 


buried  next  day  by  a  party  from  the  fort.  There  are  many 
different  versions  of  this  affair.  Mrs.  McNeil  Avas  taken 
to  Gen.  Frazor  nearly  disrobed.  Miss  McOrea's  lover,  David 
Jones,  was  attached  to  Burgoyne's  army  as  a  lieutenant. 
This  wanton  murder  did  more  to  rouse  the  lagging  colonists 
than  any  event  that  had  yet  occurred.  The  story  touched 
all  and  roused  the  people  to  vengeance. 

On  the  28th  of  July,  Fort  Edward  was  abandoned  and  on 
the  31st,  the  army  of  Gen.  Schuyler  retreated  from  Moses 
Creek  to  Saratoga,  (now  Schuylerville),  and  a  few  days  later 
to  Stillwater.  In  the  meantime  Gen.  Lincoln  had  been  sent 
to  the  New  Hampshire  Grants,  to  raise  a  force  in  addition 
to  Col.  Seth  Warner's,  and  was  ordered  to  hang  upon  the 
flank  and  rear  of  Burgoyne. 

At  Fort  Edward,  Burgoyne  found  the  diflSculties  in  sup- 
plying his  army  increase.  He  had  no  horses  to  mount  his 
dragoons  or  haul  his  supplies,  and  his  men  were  compelled 
to  bring  provisions  from  Fort  George  to  supply  the  troops 
from  day  to  day. 

At  this  time,  Tryon  county,  into  which  St.  Leger  was  ad- 
vancing from  Oswego,  was  asking  Gen.  Schuyler  for  aid. 
In  June,  1776,  Gen.  Schuyler  had  sent  Col.  Dayton  to  re- 
pair the  works  at  Fort  Stanwix,  where  the  city  of  Rome  now 
stands.  He  made  partial  repairs  and  named  the  fort  Schuy- 
ler. In  the  last  of  Arpil,  1777,  Col.  Gansevoort,  with  the 
Third  New  York  regiment,  750  strong,  was  sent  to  snpply 
his  place. 

Gen.  Schuyler  again  asked  Washington  for  reinforcements, 
but  Washington  could  spare  only  Glover's  brigade,  as  he 
was  intently  watching  Howe,  confidently  expecting  he  would 
move  up  the  north  river  to  support  Burgoyne.  Howe  had 
not  received  Lord  George  Germaine's  dispatches,  and  con- 
sequently acted  in  a  way  that  sorely  puzzled  Washington. 

On  the  first  of  August,  the  forces  of  St.  Leger,  1700  strong, 
appeared  before  Fort  Stanwix.  On  the  2d  the  fort  was  in- 
vested. In  July,  Lieut.-Col.  Marinus  Willett,  of  New  York, 
had  joined  the  garrison  under  Gansevoort.  The  garrison 
amounted  to  750  men.       General  Herkimer  called  out  the 


a 


Tryon  county  militia  and  marched  to  the  relief  of  the 
garrison  fighting  the  desperate  and  bloody  battle  of  Oriskany 
on  the  Gth  of  August,  as  he  was  approaching  the  fort. 
Gen.  Herkimer  was  mortally  wounded  and  died  a  few 
days  after.  A  sortie  from  the  fort  on  the  same 
day,  was  very  successful,  the  enemy  losing  a  great 
quantity  of  bagq^age  and  stores  with  five  stands  of  colors. 
Gansevoort  rofuoed  a  summons  to  surrender,  and  Col.  Willett 
and  Lieut.  Stockwell  volunteered  to  pass  through  the  enemy's 
lines  to  apprise  Gen.  Pchuyler.  They  left  the  fort  on  a 
stormy  night  and  started  on  their  journey.  On  the  12th  of 
August  they  reached  Stillwater  and  asked  for  reinforcements. 
Gen.  Schuyler  was  then  quartered  in  the  Dirck  Swart  house, 
still  standing  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town.  A  sketch 
of  the  house  is  presented  in  another  place.  On  the  13th  a 
council  of  war  was  held.  The  officers  oi)posed  sending  re- 
inforcements and  intimated  that  Gen.  Schuyler  meant  to 
weaken  the  army.  Gen.  Schuyler  heard  the  remark  and 
immediately  replied  with  considerable  auger  that  he  took 
the  responsibility  himself,  and  called  for  volunteers  the  next 
day.    The  brave  and  impulsive  Arnold  volunteered,  and  on 


'^1 

''I 


t 


I. 


QENSRAL   BENEDICT  ARNOLD.  '  " 

the  next  day  set  out  with  800  men  to  relieve  Fort  Stanwix. 
He  arrived  at  Fort  Dayton  on  the  20th  and  pressed  forward 
as  rapidly  as  possible.  He  sent  forward  from  Fort  Dayton 
a  tory  prisoner,  Hon  Yost  Cuyler,  with  an  exaggerated 
story  of  Arnold's  force,  and  his  clothes  shot  through  with 
bullets.    He  reached  St.  Leger'scamp,  told  his  story,  which 


d>\ 


I 


20 


i 


was  corroborated  by  an  Oneida  Indian  who  followed,  and 
created  such  a  panic  that  the  Indian  allies  of  St.  Leger 
precipitately  fled  on  the  22d  of  August,  compelling  him 
to  follow,  leaving  his  tents  and  artillery.  Burgoyne,  at 
Fort  Edward,  had  heard  by  courier  of  St.  Legcr's  arrival 
before  Fort  Stanwix  and  determined  to  push  on  to  Albany 
to  co-operate  with  him.  But  liurgoyne  needed  provisions. 
Major  Skene  advised  an  attem])t  to  seize  the  American 
stores  at  Bennington.  Gens.  Philips  and  Kiedesel  opposed 
the  measure  as  very  hazardous.  But  Burgoyne,  trusting  to 
the  loyalty  of  the  region,  determined  to  make  the  attempt. 
On  the  9th  of  August  ho  detached  Col.  Baum  to  Benning- 
ton with  500  Germans,  Canadians  and  Tories,  and  100  In- 
dians and  two  small  cannon.  He  was  to  try  the  affections 
of  the  country,  mount  Eiedesel's  dragoons,  obtain  large  sup- 
plies of  cattle,  horses,  carriages  and  stores.  He  set  out  on 
the  12th,  reached  Cambridge  on  the  13th,  skirmished  with 
the  Americans  and  learned  that  the  Americans  were  1800 
strong  at  Bennington,  and  sent  word  to  Burgoyne.  On  the 
14th  Baum  captured  a  mill  at  Sancoik,  driving  Col.  Gregg 
with  a  party  of  200  Americans  before  him.  Gregg  being 
reinforced  by  Stark's  troops  at  Bennington,Col.  Baum  did  not 
force  the  fighting,  but  withdrew  to  a  wooded  height  on  the 
Walloomsack,  four  or  five  miles  north-west  of  Bennington, 
in  the  state  of  New  York,  intrenched,  and  awaited  rein- 
forcements. By  order  of  Burgoyne,  Col,  Breyman  set  out 
on  the  15th,  with  500  heavily  armed  Germans,  with  two 
field  pieces,  to  reinforce  Baum. 

Gen.  Stark,  an  experienced  soldier  who  had  retired  to  his 
home  in  New  Hampshire  after  the  battle  of  Princeton,  because 
congress  had  not  promoted  him  instead  of  j  unior  officers, 
had  been  induced  by  his  state  to  take  command  of  a  force 
to  repel  any  incursion  of  Burgoyne  into  New  England.  At 
the  time  of  Baum's  invasion  he  was  at  Bennington  holding 
an  independent  command  from  New  Hampshire,  having 
refused  on  the  8th  of  August  to  join  Gen.  Schuyler.  Stark 
heard  of  Baum's  approach  on  the  ISth  and  dispatched  Col. 
Gregg  to  meet  him,  in  the  meantime  sending  for  aid  to 
Maesachueetts  and  to  Manchester,  Vermont,  to  Col.  Seth 


21 


Warner,  who,  with  General  Lincoln,  was  acting  under  Gen. 
Schuyler's  orders.  On  the  l-tth  Gen.  Stark  marched  out  to 
meet  Baum,  the  latter  being  well  intrenched  on  two 
heights.  On  the  15th  it  rained  heavily.  Warner's 
regiment  was  on  the  march  from  Manchester.  Warner 
himself  was  on  the  ground  in  time  to  aid  Stark  in  his  dis- 
positions on  the  16th.  About  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  16th  Stark,  having  a  force  estimated  at  from  1,800  to 
3,500,  fell  upoi?  Baum  in  his  intrenchments  and  crushed 
him.  Baum  was  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  and  was  killed, 
while  nearly  all  his  men  were  either  killed  or  taken  pris- 
oners. Breyman  came  up  the  Cambridge  road  to  reinforce 
Baum,  while  Stark's  men  were  scattered  for  the  plunder 
they  had  been  promised.  A  running  fight  ensued.  Baum's 
cannon  were  finally  turned  upon  Breyman,  who  was  fired  on 
from  the  woods  on  both  flanks,  and  Seth  Warner's  regiment 
coming  up  from  Manchester,  after  drying  themselves  in 
Bennington,  put  Breyman  to  flighty  with  the  loss  of  his  two 
pieces  of  cannon.  In  all  ?')  <  of  the  enemy  were  killed  and 
seven  hundred  made  prisoners. 

After  dispatching  Baum  to  Bennington,  Burgoyne  moved 
down  the  east  side  ot  the  Hudson  to  the  mouth,  of  the  Bat- 
tenkill,  nearly  opposite  Old  Saratoga.  He  made  his  headquar- 
ters at  the  house  of  Wm.  Duer  (then  in  congress),  near  Fort 
Miller.  He  constructed  a  bridge  of  boats  across  the  Hud- 
son and  threw  over  Frazer's  corps  to  fortify  the  heights  and 
plains  of  Saratoga  north  of  Fish  creek,  the  ground  upon 
which  he  afterward  surrendered.  Old  Saratoga  was  south 
of  Fish  creek.  On  the  17th  ox  August  Burgoyne  heard  of 
the  disaster  to  Baum  and  Breyman  and,  greatly  excited, 
put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  army  and  went  out  to  meet 
Breyman.  Breyman  came  in  and  encamped  with  the  army 
on  the  plain  at  the  junction  of  the  Battenkill  and  Hudson. 
On  the  2Glh  of  August  Burgoyne  lieard  of  St.  Leger's  re- 
treat from  Fort  Stanwix  and  was  very  despondent.  Hear- 
ing nothing  from  Howe  he  lost  heart,  and  instead  of  acting 
with  vigor,  sat  still,  and  waited  for  supplies  and  reinforce- 
ments. 


•  ti'A 


t' 


iM 


m 


:v^r. 


GENERAL  SCHUYLER  AT  THE  SPROUTS  OF 
THE  MOHAWK. 


REMAINS  OF  THE  EASTERN   REDOUBT   ON    HAUVER  ISLAND, 
SOUTH   OF   WATERFORD. 

[  HEN  Gen.  Schuyler  held,  a  council  at  Stillwater  on 
the  13th  of  August  to  decide   upon   reinforcing 
Fort  Stanwix,  it  was  also  decided  to  take  up  posi- 
tion at  the  mouths  or  sprouts  of   the  Mohawk. 
Q ,  ^     This  movement  was  imperative,  as  on  that  date, 
C^      Gen.  Schuyler  had  not  one  militiaman  from  the 
east  and  but  forty  from  New  York.      Besides,  tht 
position   was  one  of  great  strategical  importance  at  that 
time,  being  on  the  road  to  Montreal  and  the  route  from  the 
Mohawk  valley.    In  case  of  the  success  of  St  Leger  the 


i 


I  1:  :1 


^S  OF 


5LAND, 


23 

American  army  would  be  in  position  to  prevent  an  attack 
in  the  rear  from  his  victorious  forces.  The  movement  was 
made  on  the  14th  of  August,  before  the  battle  of  Benning- 
ton or  Walloomscoik,  and  when  an  advance  of  Burgoyne 
was  momentarily  expect  I.  The  main  army  encamped 
on  Van  Schaick's  Island  opposite  Lansingburgh  and  re- 
doubts, (see  map  and  cuts,)  three  in  number,  connected  by 
intrenchments,  were  thrown  up  on  the  north  end  of  Hau- 
ver  Island  opposite  Halfmoon,  (now  Waterford).  These  re- 
doubts are  iu  an  excellent  state  of  preservation,  the  cuts 
whicn  we  present  being  from  accurate  sketches  made  last 
summer,  (June  1877.)  The  redoubts  commanded  the  fords 
of  the  north  sprout*  of  the  Mohawk  and  of  the  Hudson 
opposite  Halfmoon  Point.  They  were  thrown  up  under  the, 
direction  of  Gen.  Kosciusko. 

Halfmoon  had  been  a  halting  place  for  troops  on  their 
way  to  the  north  since  1775,  when  Col.  Waterbury  of  Con- 
necticut halted  there  in  August,  1775  with  his  regiment  on 
their  way  to  join  Schuyler's  expedition  into  Canada.  His 
troops  were  employed  in  repairing  the  old  road  to  the  north 
so  that  supplies  could  be  more  e  ;sily  forwarded. 

While  Gen.  Schuyler  had  been  making  the  best  prepara- 
tion possible  t)  meet  Burgoyne,  his  enemies  in  Congress 
had  been  busy.  Although  Gen.  St.  Claii"  took  the  entire 
responsibility  of  the  evacuation  of  Tico!:deroga,  and 
Schuyler  had  received  but  little  support  io.  his  patriotic 
efforts  to  stop  Burgoyne's  advance,  John  Adain.s  and  his 
faction  saw  their  opportunity   to  put   Gates  in  Schuyler's 


lit 


i 


-  } 


I 'J' 


iter  on 
brcing 
5  posi- 
)hawk. 
date, 
m  the 
es,  tht 
t  that 
m  the 
?r  the 


*At  that  time  thoro  were  no  brldccs  acnwa  either  the  TTudeoii  or  Mohawk.  The 
only  ferry  on  th"  Mohawk  between  Van  Schaick'g  Island  and  Schenectady  wag  Lou- 
don's aDont  Ave  miles  up  the  river,  whfre  Arnold  was  posted  with  the  left 
wing  of  I  lie  American  army,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  a  passujie  at  that  place. 
There  was  another  ferry  near  Halfmoon  Point.  To  cross  the  Hudson  would  only 
have  been  leading  Buriroyne  out  of  the  way  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river ;  bc- 
gidea  the  conveying  so  large  an  i  rmy  over  that  stream  in  a  conimou  c  ow  boat,  and 
at  the  same  time  subject  to  the  opposition  of  the  Americans  who  lay  near  by. 
would  have  rendered  such  an  undertaklb<r  impracticable.  These  being  the  factd, 
Burgoyne's  course  nece..'sari;y  la.  across  thexprouts,  as  they  wore  called,  or  mouths 
ol  the  Mohawk,  which,  i  xcept  in  time  of  Ireshets,  were  fordable,  and  by  four  of 
which  that  stream  enters  the  Hudson  ;  the  second  and  third  lorralns;  Van  Schaick's 
Island,  aero  48  which  the  road  jjussed,  and  was  the  usual  route  at  that  time.— AeU- 
^o»'«  History. 


24 


1 


CENTRE  EEDOUBT  ON  HAUVER  ISLAND,  OPPOSITE 
WATERFORD. 

place.  On  the  1st  of  August,  Oongr  s  passed  a  resolution 
ordering  Gen.  Schuyler  who  was  thcxi  facing  Burgoyne  at 
Moses  Creek  with  a  handful  of  men,  "  to  repair  to  head- 
quarters, and  that  Gen.  Washington  be  directed  to  order 
such  general  officer  as  he  shall  think  proper  to  re])air  im- 
mediately to  the  northern  department  to  relieve  Major 
General  Schuyler  in  his  command  there."  This  resolution, 
with  one  passed  July  liO'h  directing  an  inquiry  into  the 
evacuation  of  Ticonderoga,  Tas  forwarded  to  Gen.  Schuyler 
on  the  oth  of  August.  He  received  them  on  the  10th  but 
determined  to  continue  his  arduous  labors  with  patriotic 
spirit  until  his  successor  should  arrive. 

Gates's  New  England  friends  were  so  anxious  that  he  be 
appointed  that  they  drew  up  an  impertinent  letter  praising 
Gates  and  requesting  Washington  to  appoint  him.  The 
letter  was  in  the  handwriting  of  Samuel  Adams  and  was 
first  signed  by  John  Adams,  the  other  New  England  dele- 
gates following. 


'  It-  k 


alution 

oyne  at 
head- 
order 

air  im- 
Major 
ution, 
to  the 
huyler 
,h  but 

itriotic 


[The  trees  growing  upon  the  redoubts  jiictured  in  the  two 
preceding  cuts  are  of  hirge  size  iind  are  doubtless  sprung 
from  seed  dropped  in  the  fresh  earth  thrown  up  by  Gen. 
Schuyler's  army  a  hundred  years  ago.  The  present  owner 
of  the  island,  A.  A.  Peebles,  a  grandson  of  John  G.  Yarx 
Schaick,*  who  ^\as  the  owner  in  1777,  has  jealously  guarded 
these  mementoes  of  the  past.] 


WEST  RED0UI5T  ON  HAUVEB  ISLAND. 

Gen.  Was'  ington  did  not  like  this  iiapertinence  and  in  a 
letter  to  Congress  on  the  3d  of  August,  declined  to  act.     He 

*Jonu  G.  Van  Scbaick  wns  a  brother-in-law  of  Col.  Peter  Oaneevoort,  the  brave 
dcrcniler  of  Fort  Stanwix,  and  himsclfa  stoiluig  patriot.  lie  loaned  to  Gen.  Ga'es 
110,000  in  Rold  to  pay  the  army,  lakin?  for  cectirity  continental  notes  of  credit, 
which  were  never  redeemed,  many  being  now  in  pocscBfinn  of  his  deEcendants. 
Gen.  (iates  hud  his  headiiimrtcrs  fiirn  time  at  Van  Schaick's  house,  which  is  »tiU 
standing  opposite  Lai'singlHi'-Rh.  The  island  had  been  in  possession  of  the  Van 
Schalcks  since  about  lti43,  it  being  part  of  the  Ilalfaoon  patent,  which  extended 
for  scvcnil  miles  ap  tbclludtion  and  up  the  Mohawk.  John  (}.  Van  Sch:iick  ia  well 
rcmemlicredby  the  oldest  rcsidcntsof  Troy  and  Lhncingburgh  as  the  last  man  who 
wore  a  cocked  hat  and  knee-breeches.  In  this  vicinity. 


-I 


'IHJ 


r^^^ 


*'r 


m 


1 


26 


MAJOR  GENERAL  PHILIP  SCHUYLER. 


had,  in  fact,  lost  confidence  in  Gates,  but  had  the  greatest 
esteem  for  Schuyler.  Schuyler  was  Washington's  peer  in 
almost  every  sense  of  the  term,  while  Gates  was  a  man  of 
mean  spirit.  Congress  then,  through  eastern  influence,  im- 
mediately appointed  Gates,  giving  him  absolute  power  (sub- 
ject to  Congress)  of  removal  and  appointment  in  his 
department,  a  power  which  he  afterward  exercised  in 
humiliating  Arnold.  The  army  was  not  greatly  pleased 
with  the  change,  tlie  New  England  general  officers  having 
joined  with  others  in  expressing  regret  at  the  necessity 
which  compelled  Gen.  Schuyler  to  leave  the  command  of 
them.  Arnold,  who  was  the  bravest  general  and  best  sol- 
dier in  the  army,  had  a  profound  respect  for  Schuyler  and 
his  military  skill.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  Arnold  would  have 
ended  his  career  diiferently,  had  he  not  been  subjected  to 
the  meanness  of  Gates  and  the  coldness  of  John  Adams. 


27    '.- 

Gen.  Schuyler  gracefully  delivered  his  command  to  Gen. 
Gates,  who  arrived  at  Van  Schaick's  on  the  19th  of  August. 
On  that  day  Gen.  Schuyler  had  congratulated  Gen  Stark  on 
his  victory  at  Bennington,  and,  Stark,  acceding  to  General 
Schuyler's  wish,  subsequently  joined  the  army  under  Gates 
on  Van  Schaick's  Island.  Gen.  Schuyler  continued  with  the 
army  for  some  time,  but  Gen.  Gates  ignored  him,  and  he 
did  not  intrude.  In  December,  Congress  acquitted  him  of 
all  blame  for  the  loss  of  Ticonderoga.  He  then  left  the 
army  to  the  great  regret  of  Washington, 


MAP  OF  UAUVEll  ISLAND. 

Gen.  Poor's  brigade  was  encamped  at  Loudon's  Ferry,  five 
miles  up  the  Mohawk.  Poor  was  joined  toward  the  last  of 
August  by  Col.  Daniel  Morgan,  with  his  corps  of  riflemen, 
which  had  been  detached  from  Washington's  force,  reach- 
ing Gates'  army,  by  forced  marches.  Gen.  Arnold  also  en- 
ca'-ned  at  Loudon's  Ferry  after  bis  return  from  the  relief  of 
Fort  Stanwix.  The  army,  while  resting  at  the  sprouts  of 
tlie  Mohawk,  was  clothed,  paid  and  reorganized. 

With  a  dense  forest  between  him  and  Burgoyne's  force, 
Gates  knew  little  of  the  enemy.  About  the  first  of  Septem- 
ber Dr.  Wood,  surgeon  to  General  Burgoyne,  arrived  at  Van 
Schaick's  with  a  letter  from  his  general  complaining  of  the 
treatment  of  the  prisoners  captured  by  Stark  at  Benning- 
ton. On  the  second  of  September  Gates  answered  Bur- 
goyne  in   a  public   letter  reciting  the  murder  of   Jane 


Mi 


28 

jlcCrea*  and  the  cruelties  inflicted  by  the  savages  following 
the  British  army.  This  letter  aroused  the  Americans  and 
greatly  aided  in  strengthening  the  army.  In  Parliament, 
Burke  used  the  story  told  by  Gates  with  powerful  effect. 


rtJ^ 


*  General  Gates  wrote:  "That  the  sivagcs  phonld,  in  their  warfare,  mangle 
the  unhappy  prisoners  who  fall  into  their  hands,  is  nether  new  nc  extraordinary ; 
but  thatlhe  lamous  General  Burgoyno,  in  whom  the  flne  gentlomin  is  united  with 
the  scholar,  should  hire  the  gava;es  of  America  to  scjip  Europeans ;  nay  more,  that 
heshoiildp^iyaprlcororoichscalp  JO barbiiously  taken  ts  more  than  will  be  believed 
In  Europe,  until  authoiiticate:l  facts  shall  in  every  gazette  confirm  the  liorrid  tale.'' 
Ho  adned  :  ''Miss  McCrea,  a  young  lady,  lovely  to  the  sight,  of  virluous  character 
and  amiable  disposition,  engaged  to  an  officer  of  your  army,  was,  with  other  women 
and  children,  taken  out  of  a  house  at  Fort  Edward,  carried  into  the  woods,  and 
there  scalped  and  mangled  in  the  most  shocking  manner.  Two  parents  with  their 
siscliildren,  were  treated  with  the  same  inhiimmily,  while  quietl;  resting  In  their 
own  happy  and  peaceful  dwelling.  The  miserable  fate  of  Miss  McCrca  was  particu- 
larly aggr.wated,  by  being  Pressed  to  receiv  i""-  ;-,ii...->ised  liusband ;  but  mot  her 
murderers  employed  by  you.  Upwards  of  one  hua  ired  men,  women,  and  children 
have  perished  by  the  liands  of  the  rutllaus.  to  whom,  it  is  a-'surted,  you  have  paid 
the  price  of  blood."  This  letter  was  cfl'ective,  although  the  facts  were  not  carefully 
Btated. 

As  the  heroine  of  the  sad  romance,  which  had  such  au  effect  upon  the  fortunes  of 
•theg  ruggling  colonies,  .lane  McCrea,  well  deserves  tlio  place  given  her  in  these 
pages,  Thi  portrait  which  we  present  is  ideal,  but  made  from  a  careful  study  of 
her  pe."8onal  appearance,  as  docrlbed  by  those  who  ku^w  her  history  and  character. 

Charles  Neiison,  auth  ir  of  '■  Bar,'oyne's  Campaigo  "  received  from  iiis  father, 
who  ivel  on  the  field  of  Bjmis  leights.  and  those  who  knew  Jane  .\fcOrea,  a  de- 
scription of  her  app3arancj.  Mr.  Neiison  writes:  "  At  the  lime  of  her  death  she  was 
about  twenty  three  years  of  age,  ol  middling  stature,  finely  fjrmod,  dark  hair,  and 
uncommonly  Vieautil'ul.'' 

In  1848  Lossing  vislieil,  at  Olen's  Falls,  "  Mrs.  F n,"  then  si.vty  years  old  'he 

granddaughter  of  Mrs.  .McMeil,  who  was  captured  wUh  Miss  MoCrea.  She  related 
t^e  story  as  follows:  ".Jaui!  MjCrea  was  the  daughter  of  a  Hootch  Presbyterian 
clergyrain  of  Jersey  City,  thjn  known  as  Paulns'  Hook.  Mrs.  McNeil  was  au  inti- 
mate acquaintance  of  .Miss  MoCrea's  father,  and  when  he  died,  tlie  latter  went  to 
live  with  her  br  .ther  at  Fort  Kdward.  where  Mrs.  McNeil  then  also  resided.  Near 
her  brother  lived  a  family  namel  Jones,  and  Mi«»  McCrea  and  young  David  Jones 
became  attached  to  each  other,  and  were  betr  ;thed.  Tlie  Joneses  took  the  royal  side 
when  the  war  brjke  ont  an  1  in  the  autamu  of  17711,  David  Jon-^s  and  his  brother 
Jonathan  raisel  a  company  ol  mon  uuder  pretense  of  going  to  swell  the  garrison  at 
Ticjndcroga,  but  continued  djwo  ttie  lake  and  procooJeJ  to  Crown  Point,  where 
they  joined  the  British  army.  Whon  Gen.  Bnrgoyne  advanced  to  Fort  Edwaid  in 
'77/.  David  Jones  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  corps  of  General  Frazer.    Mrs.  McNeil 

.;8  a  consin  of  General  Frazur,  and  a  staunch  loyalist.  Miss  McCrea'8  brother 
was  a  staunch  Wnig,and  when  tlie  British  approached  he  left  Fort  Edward  and  went 
to  Schuyler's  army  at  Moses  creek.  His  slater  lingered  with  Mrs.  MeNoll,  with  a 
laint  hope  that  she  mi^ht  see  her  lover.  Her  brother  sent  repeated  requests  lor 
her  to  join  him,  and  on  the  S'nh  of  Jaly  h  )  give  her  a  peremptory  order  to  that 
effect.    She  promised  to  leave  the  ne.xl  day." 

Early  OP  the  morning  of  theurth  the  Indians  appealed.  Nearly  everybody  but 
the  loyalists  hid  taken  refuge  in  Fort  Edward.  Tno  two  women  were  siezed  and 
carried  off  toward  Gen.  Fraz  er's  camp,  .Miss  McCrea  on  hor.seback.  The  Indian* 
nearly  disrobed  Mrs.  McNeil  and  took  her  int  >  camp  So  )n  after  they  ajjpeared 
with  a  scalp  which  she  recognized  as  tliat  of  Miss  McCrea.    She  charged  them 


Burgoyne  denied  Gates's  charges  indirectly,  although  he 
must  have  known  that  Whigs  and  Tories  had  been  alike 
wantonly  murdered.  The  whole  family,  six  in  number,  and 
three  negro  slaves  of  John  Allen,  a  Tory  of  Argyie,  were 
murdered  the  same  day  that  Jane  McOrea  lost  her  life. 
Burgoyne  did  not  dare  to  punish  his  red  allies,  for  many  had 
already  deserted.  They  heli)ed  to  work  his  ruin  by  arous- 
ing the  people  to  vengeance. 

In  the  south  Howe,  without  the  orders,  which  as  we  have 
seen,  lay  in  the  office  of  Lord  George  Germaine  in  London, 
or  belated  by  his  indolence,  were  on  a  storm-tossed  vessel, 
Avent  skylarking  after  glory  by  the  cipture  of  Philadel- 
phia, instead  of  moving  u[)  the  Hudson  to  help  Burgoyne. 
As  Burgoyne  advanced  on  Ticonderoga,  Howe  evacuated 
New  Jersey,  and  on  the  5th  of  July  put  his  army  from 
17,000  to  20,000  strong,  on  transports,  and  lay  within  Sandy 
Hook  until  the  33nd,  a  puzzle  to  Washington,  who  expected 
he  would  move  up  the  Hudson.  Clinton  was  left  at  New 
York  but  was  indolent,  and  had  no  orders.  Before  putting 
to  sea  Howe  turned  toward  the  Hudson,  and  Washington 
hurried  Lord  Stirling  with  his  division  to  Peekskill ;  but 

with  murderin?  Miss  MCcren,  but  Uiev  said  slie  was  Icilled  bya  bullet  from  a  pa",  iy 
of  Americans  who  pariiued  from  the  fort,  and  they  saved  the  ecaip.  Mrs.  Mc^'eil 
Delieved  the  story,  and  Lossint;  was  also  inclined  to  believe  it.  Lossing  saj-? 
Miss  McCroa's  hair  which  hung  from  the  scali)  "  was  of  extraordinary  length  and 
beauty,  Tieasurin^a  yard  and  a  ([uarter.  She  was  then  about  twenty  years  old, 
and  a  very  lovely  girl."  The  version  of  Miss  McCr.'a's  death  given  by  Lossing  Is 
only  supported  by  he  tale  of  he  Indi;ins  who  witnessed  It  and  took  her  scalp. 
Mrs  McXeil  did  not  l;now  how  Miss  McCrea  died. 

Neilson's  version  of  the  affiir  received  from  Caleb  Baker,  Esq,,  of  Sandy  IIlll,  is 
probably  the  correct  one.  Caleb  Baker  was  but  six  yeirs  old  at  the  time  of  the 
murder,  but  his  father  who  lived  at  Sandy  Uil  was  in  the  fort  and  saw  the  whole 
affii T.  Nellson  writes:  ■•  Fro  n  that  place,  then  in  plain  view  of  the  scene  he  saw 
Jane  McCrea  sliat  from  her  hor.-io  by  the  Indians.  On  that  day  no  one  dared  ven- 
ture from  the  Port,  but  at  dawn  of  the  morninj;  of  the  2Sth,  Mr,  A.  Baker,  in  cora- 
paay  with  a  (Ho  of  iion  from  the  fort,  went  in  seirch  of  the  body  of  Jane,  and  found 
It  naked  and  mutilated, about  twenty  rods  from  the  spot  where  they  had  seen  her  fall 
the  day  before,  together  with  the  body  of  an  American  officer,  both  stripped  and 
scalped.  Neither  Mr.  C.  Baker  nor  his  father,  A,  Ba'ior,  found  the  murdered  lane 
while  still  breathing,  nor  were  the  Indians  surorised  by  an  American  scout.  There 
was  no  such  scout." 

There  is  no  pmo'  thit  the  In  liaus  were  sent  for  Miss  McCrea  by  any  one  in  the 
British  camp.  They  wore  merely  a  marauding  party  ready  to  murder,  scalp  and 
mutilate  anyone  who  c:iine  in  tlioir  way.  They  doubtless  quarrelled  over  Miss 
McCrei  and  she  was  shot  in  the  melee.  The  m  inner  of  her  death  Is  a  mystery  like 
that  of  the  lost  dauphin  and  the  man  in  the  iron  mask. 


,>M 


m 

1^- 


80 


ill 


JANEMCCREA. 

Howe  turned  about  ;'  id  went  up  tlie  East  river,  and  then 
put  to  sea  on  the  23u  f  July.  He  had  a  stormy  time.  For 
seven  days  he  was  beating  about  the  capes  of  the  Delaware. 
Twenty- six  days  he  tacked  to  the  southward  toenter  Chesa- 
peake bay.  Washington  learned  about  the  first  of  August 
that  Howe  was  off  the  Delaware  capes,  but  feared  that  the 
movement  was  a  feint.  So  he  marched  and  countermarched 
until  the  22d  of  August  when  he  learned  that  Howe  had  en- 
tered Chesapeake  bay.  Ou  the  25th  Washington  reached 
Wilmington,  Delaware.  Howe  landed  at  Elktown  on  the 
25th,  54  miles  south  of  Philadelphia.  He  had  lost  his 
horses  by  his  stormy  voyage  and  was  crippled.  Washing- 
ton, on  the  9th  of  September,  took  position  north  of  the 
Brandy  wine  creek,  anfl  Howe  attacked  and  defeated  him 
there  on  the  11th,  but  owing  to  the  loss  of  his  horses  could 
not  gather  the  fruits  of  his  victory.  Washington  retreated 
to  Germantown. 


THE  FIRST  BATTLE  OF  BEMIS  HEIGHTS, 
.     SEPT.  19,  1777. 


S^N  the  8th  of  September  Gen.  Gates  broke  camp  at 
Van  Schaick's  Ishind  and  marched  to  Stillwater, 
arriving  there  next  day.  According  to  Lossing, 
Gates's  army  then  out-numbered  Burgoyne's,  Avhich 
had  been  depleted  by  the  battle  of  Benningtou  and 
the  necessity  of  garrisoning  Ticonderoga,  Carleton 
refusing  to  perform  that  service.  Other  authorities  place 
Gates's  army  ^t  about  6,000,  when  it  arrived  at  Stillwater. 
It  was  at  first  decided  to  intrench  there,  but  by  the  advice 
of  Kosciusko  a  more  eligible  position  was  selected  three 
miles  up  the  river  on  the  right  bank  at  Bemis  Heights,  so 
named  from  a  man  named  Bcmis  who  kept  a  public  house 
at  the  foot  of  the  river  hills  on  the  old  road  to  Skenes- 
borough.  Here  the  wooded  river  hills,  about  a  hundred 
feet  high,  and  seamed  with  ravines,  approached  to  within 
about  forty  rods  of  the  river.  The 
road  at  that  time  ran  along  the 
river  bank.  Northward  from  Be- 
mis's  the  river  flat  widens  by  a 
bend  in  the  stream,  narrowing  to 
a  few  rods  at  Wilbur's  Basin  about 
two  miles  above  Bemis's  tavern. 
The  ravines  run  back  to  the  west 
gradually  decreasing  in  depth  as  '  '^^  ^^  M*  / 
the  ground  rises,  until  at  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  there  are  con- 
siderable areas  of  level  land  fit  for  the  movement  of  troops. 
In  1777,  there  were  a  few  rude  clearings  on  the  heights  west 
of  the  river,  the  principal  one  being  on  Freeman's  farm.  This 
was  an  oblong  space  in  front  of  the  Freeman  cottage(see  map,) 
its  length  extending   east  and  west  and  containing  some 


THADDEUS  KOSCIl/SKO. 


^ 


■J 


i»; 


n 


n 


i    ■ 


32 


«■ 


twelve  or  fourteen  acres.  There  were  also  clearings  on 
Bemis  Heiglits,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  northwest 
of  Bemis's  tavern.  This  ground,  the  highest  in  the  vi- 
cinity, was  then  occupied  by  John  Neilson  and  is  now 
owned  by  his  son's  widow,  Mrs.  Charles  Neilson.  These 
points  are  accurately  indicated  on  the  map  of  the  field  here 
presented. 


Ik 


■i ''■'■'■ 


m 


■    .•■.      1  II  nnmvio  «X^' 


'"<-'''■ 


^/^      f^-CHATf 


MAP  OF  BEMIS  HEIGHTS. 

Along  the  brow  of  the  river  hills,   Kosciusko*  located 

♦ThaddeuB  Kopcia?ko  was  born  in  L  thuania  n  1730  fan  am  lent  and  n  ble  fam- 
ily. He  was  ctlncnted  In  Fiance.  There  he  became  acquainted  wi  h  Dr.  Franltlin, 
and  was  by  him  recommended  to  (Jen.  Washington.  Before  leaving  Poland  he  had 
eloped  V  iih  a  beau  iful  ladi'  cf  hi<;h  rank.  Tliey  were  overtaken  n  their  Hight  by 
her  lather,  who  made  a  violent  attempt  to  rescue  hia  daughter.  The  young  Pole 
had  either  to  slay  the  lather  or  abandon  ttc  young  lady.  Abhorringthe  former 
act,  he  sheathed  his  eword  and  toon  after  elt  the  country.  He  came  to  America 
and  joined  the  patriot  army  a<  a  volunteer,  Oct.  18, 1776, 


:^i^ 


to/ 


33 

breastworks,  strcngtlienpd  iit  interviils  with  redoubts  for 
cannon.  On  each  side  of  lieniis's  tavern,  on  tlie  hills,  strong 
redoubts  were  erected.  The  lines  ran  from  Beniis's  north- 
ward, bending  to  the  west  in  circular  form  with  a  strong  re- 
doubt at  the  sliarpest  turn.    This  is  the  northeast  redoubt 


OROUND  PLAN  OF  AMERICAN  WORKS  ON  THE  RIVER  FLAT. 

commanding  the  plain  and  river,  and  is  on  a  sandy  hill. 
Within  this  redoubt  is  now  a  neglected  burial  place  of  the 
Vandenl)urgh  family,  with  a  few  monuments  still  standing. 
The  elder  of  the  Vandenburghs  was  an  ardent  republican, 
and  his  house  on  the  river  below  was  burned  on  the  I'Jth 
of  iSe])tember.  From  this  redoubt  to  the  west,  the  lines  fol- 
low the  bend  of  a  ravine.  At  the  head  of  this  ravine,  on 
an  eminence,  about  50  rods  east  of  the  old  Neilson  house, 
was  subsetpiently  erected  another  redoubt,  designated  on  the 
map  as  the  "  centre  redoubt."  Of  these  lines,  hardly  a  ves- 
tige remains.  According  to  Neilson  the  American  lines 
did  not  extend  westward  much  beyond  the  northeast  redoubt 
on  the  river  hills,  at  the  time  of  the  first  battle.  Lossing 
says  the  American  intrenchments  at  that  time  reached  the 
heights  where  the  Neilson  house  now  stands.  The  lines 
were  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  extent  from  the  river. 
From  the  foot  of  the  abrupt  height  of  the  river  hills,  an  in- 
trenchment  extended  across  the  narrow  flat  to  the  river  op- 


A.MEUICAN  WORKS  ON    THE  RIVER  FLAT  AS  THEY  APPEAR 

lO-DAY. 

6  :■  , 


^ 


tP 


n 


84 

poaitc  Bemis's  tavern,  witli  a  redoubt  on  tho  river  bank  com- 
manding a  floatinf]j  bridfje.  Tiiese  introncliinonts  are  in  an 
cxcellont  atato  of  preservation  and  are  very  interesting. 
Military  engineers  who  have  examined  them,  say  they  are 
in  excellent  form  to  resist  attack  in  front  and  from  the 
river.  About  a  half  mile  above  Bemis's  tavern,  a  short 
line  of  breastworks,  with  a  redoubt,  was  thrown  up,  south 
of  Mill  Creek,  where  tho  road  crossed  that  stream. 

Burgoyne  rested  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hattenkill  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Hudson,  until  the  11th  of  September, 
gathering  supplies  for  30  days.  Without  consulting  his  of- 
ficers, he  surpri-  I  thejn  on  the  11th  with  an  order  to  be 
ready  to  move  id.  ward  next  day.  It  had  been  intimated  to 
Burgoyne  by  some  of  his  officers,  that  it  would  be  wisdom 
to  fall  back  to  Ticonderoga.  He  felt  compelled  to  obey  the 
orders  given  liim  by  the  British  ministry,  and  moved  for- 
ward.   The  British  generals  in  this  campaign  obeyed  orders 


THE  OLD  NEILSON  HOUSE  ON  BEMIS  HEIGHTS,  WITH  A  VIEW 
OF  BURGOYNE'S  camp  at    WILBUR'S   BASIN. 


86 


too  str'ctly,  instead  of  using  common  sense.  Burgoynewent 
forward  hoping  to  push  through  to  Albiiuy  by  some  piece  of 
good  luck.  As  Gates  said  of  him,  ho  was  a  "an  old  game- 
ster," and  had  a  certain  respect  for  chance.  From  the  time 
he  gave  the  order  his  movements  seemed  to  lack  decision- 
It  is  said  of  Burgoyne  by  the  Baroness  lliedesel,  who  joined 
her  husband  in  the  early  summer  with  her  three  children, 
that  high  revel  and  debauch  rendered  him  unfit  for  the 
proper  discharge  of  his  duties.  The  German  historians. 
Von  Klkiiig  especially,  attributed  Burgoyne's  defeat  to 
neglect  of  duty.     He  crept  toward  his  goal  at  a  snail's  pace, 

giving  the  Americans  titne  to 
rally.  The  bridge  upon  which 
Frazer  had  crossed  the  Hudson 
to  the  heights  of  Saratoga,  had 
been  carried  away  by  a  freshet, 
and  a  new  one  was  constructed 
of  rafts  just  above  the  mouth 
of  the  Battenkill.  A  redoubt 
was  thrown  up  and  cannon 
planted  to  cover  this  bridge. 
Remains  of  this  embankment 
still  exist  on  the  east  shore. 
The  12  th  of  September  was 
consumed  in  preparation.  On 
the  13th  and  14th  the  army 
BURQOYNE.  crossed  by  the  bridge  and  a  ford 

below  the  Battenkill. 

Just  as  Burgoyne  moved,  Gen.  Lincoln,  then  in  Vermont, 
sent  Col.  Brown  with  2,000,  Thacher  says  500,  men  to  at- 
tack the  forts  on  Lake  Champlain  and  Lake  George.  He 
surprised  Fort  George,  captured  a  vessel  conveying  provision, 
captured  a  post  at  the  outlet  of  Lake  George,  destroyed  a 
large  number  of  boats  and  armed  vessels,  released  one  hun- 
dred Americans,  captured  289  prisoners  and  five  cannon, 
occupied  Mount  Hope  and  Mount  Defiance  with  the  old 
French  lines,  and  summoned   Ticonderoga  to  surrender. 


■'# 


36 


GExNTERAL  LINCOLN. 


The  commandant  refused  and  as  Col.  Brown's  artillery  was 
deficient,  he  rejoined  Gen.  Lincoln. 
Without  giving  attention  to  tins 
raid  in  his  rear,  Burgoyne  pressed 
on  to  the  south.  On  tlie  15tV  ho 
moved  from  feuratoga,  but  was  de- 
tainf'd  by  the  repairing  of  bridges 
which  Gen.  Schuyler  liad  destroyed,  ^• 
and  it  was  the  l»th  before  he 
reached  Wilbur's  Basin.  He  slowly 
dragged  his  great  train  of  artillery, 
including  two  heavy  24  pounders 

and  a  heavy  baggage  train.  Plis  movements  had  been 
watched  by  Licnt.-Col.  Colburn  from  tlie  high  liilis  east  of 
the  Hudson,  and  reported  to  Gen.  Gates.  By  the  15th  Gates 
was  fully  prepared.  The  right  wing  composed  of  the  brig- 
ades of  Glover,  Nixon  and  Patterson,  under  the  immediate 
command  of  Gates,  occupi-^d  the  brow  of  the  liiil  and  the 
lines  by  the  river.  The  left  wing,  commanded  by  Arnold, 
occupied  the  western  portion  of  the  line  about  three-fourtbs 
of  a  mile  from  the  river.  Arnold's  old  headquarters  now 
form  the  wing  of  the  Neilson  house. 

Arnold's  command  consisted  of  Gen.  Poor's  New  Tlanip- 
shire  brigade,  the  New  York  militia  regiments  of  Pierre 
Van  Courtland  and  Henry  Livingston,  two  Connecticut 
regiments  and  Major  Dearborn's  Massaeluisetts  infantry 
with  Morgan's  corps  of  riflemen.  The  centre  wascompohed 
of  Massachusetts  and  New  York  Continental  troops,  and 
consisted  of  L<.'arned's  brigade,  with  Bailey's,  Wesson's  and 
Jackson's  regiments  of  Massachusetts,  and  James  Living- 
ston's of  New  \'"ork.  On  the  17th,  Arnold,  with  1,500  men, 
was  ordered  forward  to  harrass  Burgoyne's  advance.  On 
account  of  the  impracticable  ground  on  the  wooded  river 
hills,  he  couUi  net  well  attack  in  flank  and  would  not  attack 
80  powerful  a  force  in  front,  and  retired  after  a  skirmish 
having  captured  a  number  of  prisoi  ers.  About  this  time 
some  of  the  New  Hampshire  militia  were  inclined 
to  insubordination,  and  had  determined  to  return  home. 
Gates  succeeded  in  holding  them  by  offering  a  bounty  of 


SI 


$10  each,  until  the  arrival  of  Gen.  Starlc,  who  had  been  left 
behiiid  on  account  of  illness. 


' ''  f 


,1 


GEN".  JOHN  STARK. 

Burgoyne  on  examining  the  ground  determined  to  march 
around  tlie  left  wing  of  the  Americans,  while  a  feint  was 
made  in  the  direction  of  the  American  works  on  the  ilat. 
This  plan  well-nigh  succeeded,  and  would  have  been  fully 
accomplished  had  it  not  been  for  Arnold,  who  by  great  ex- 
ertion, persuaded  thd  timid  and  indolent  Gates  to  permit 
an  attack  on  the  British  Hanking  force  before  it  should  be- 
come dangerous  to  the  American  position,  which  had  no 
protection  but  the  woods  on  the  left. 

Burgoyne  fortified  his  camp  at  Wilbur's  Basin  by  re- 
doubts on  the  river  hills  and  entrenchments  extending 
across  the  river  tlat.  Frazer  was  posted  on  the  i)l!iteaii 
back  of  the  second  hill  north  uf  the  Basin,  where  what  is 
known  as  "the  great  redoubt"  was  situated,  (see  map.) 

Burgoyne  formtu  his  forces  in  three  columns.  The  right, 
composed  of  British  grenadiers,  British  light  infantry,  the 
2-4th  Bi-unswick  grenadiers,  and  a  battalion  with  eight  six- 
pounders  under  Lieut.  Colonel  Breyman,  was  led  by  the 
gallant  General  Simon  Frazer,  his  front  and  flanks  being 
covered  by  Indians,  Canadians  and  Tories.  Burgoyne  was 
with  the  centre  column,  consisting  of  the  9th,  20th,  2Isf, 
and  62nd  regiments  with  six  six-pounders,  led  by  Brigadier 
General  Uamilton.     The  left  wing,  commanded  by  Generals 


d' 


M 

J 

■Hi.  J 


38    . 

Phillips  and  Riedesel,  was  principally  composed  of  Germans, 
and  the  heavy  artillery,  with  a  force  of  Canadians  and  In- 
di;ms  in  advance.  Frazer  took  a  circnitous  route  along  a 
new  road  to  its  intersection  with  tne  road  leading  north- 
west from  Bemis  Heights  (Fort  Neilsoa  of  the  map),  thence 


,     ,  ,;  MAJOR  GEif.  HORATIO  GATES. 

he  proceeded  south  toward  the  American  left  to  some  high 
ground  at  the  head  of  the  middle  ravine,  about  one  hundred 
and  flftv  rods  west  of  Freeman's  cottage.  Burgoyne  followed 
the  stream  now  forming  Wilbur's  Basin  for  a  half  mile  and 
then  moved  to  the  southwest  to  a  point  a  little  south  of 
Freeman's  cottage  near  the  middle  ravine.  Phillips  and 
Riedesel  moved  down  the  river  road.  At  eleven  o'clock 
Burgoyne  fired  a  signal  gun  notifying  the  left  wing  that  he 
was  in  position.  The  British  advance  then  moved  forward. 
On  the  flats  the  Canadians  and  Indians  marched  through 
the  woods  to  the  attack  but  were  scattered  with  considerable 


30 


loss  by  .a  American  pickets.  The  movement  on  the  flats 
was  but  a  feint  to  distract  Gates,  and  it  succeeded ;  for  he 
refused  to  withdraw  troops  from  that  quarter  after  lliedesel 
had  marched  away  to  reinforce  Biirgoyne.  From  the  begin- 
ning Gates  was  in  his  quarters  and  did  not  understand  the 
battle.  It  is  even  asserted,  and  recorded  by  'mossing,  that 
he  was  not  in  coiidition  to  understand  it  on  account  of  in- 
toxication. Prrgc  and  Earl  Balcarras,  it  is  also  asserted, 
drank  wine  t'.  .  :\.u..  hour  the  night  before  the  19th,  but 
were  on  the  field,  and  handled  the  British  with  great  skill. 
If  Gates  was  indolent  and  timid,  Arnold  was  alert.  When 
the  Canadians  and  Indians  began  tc  swarm  in  the  woods  in 
his  front  and  on  his  left,  he  knew  that  the  enemy  meant  to 
flank  him,  and  that  the  battle  must  be  fought  in  the  woods 
and  on  the  hills,  instead  of  behind  intrenchments,  as  Gates 
intended.  Arnold  implored  Gates  to  permit  a  movement  to 
thwart  the  enemy's  intentions. 

Finally  Gates  consented  to  detach  Col.  Daniel  Morgun, 
(afterward  a  general,)  with  his  riflemen,  and  allowed  Ar- 
nold to  support  him.  With  this  permission  Arnold  began 
the  battle  vigorously.  Mor-;ur.  "ibout 
noon  attacked  the  Can.t  if  ^  and 
Indians  advancing  in  Liu-  ¥  ir- 
goyne  at  the  middle  ravine,  ss.  vn  of 
Freeman's  cottage,  and  drove  tliem 
back.  Eeinforced  by  the  British, 
the  Canadians  drove  Morgan  back, 
when  he  was  reinforced  by  Dearborn 
and  at  one  o'clock  the  battle  was 
renewed.  At  this  time  Arnold 
with  his  command  attf  -'ed  Fi'azer's 
right,  intending  to  t"  ;  •  it,  but  not  succeeding  counter- 
marched and  attacked  rV  zor'-J  left  to  cut  him  ofl"  from  the 
center.  Frazer  in  turn  attacked  Arnold's  left.  The  fight- 
ing was  on  and  about  Freeman's  farm.  Arnold  was  gain- 
ing positive  advantage  when  troops  from  the  British 
center  tell  on  his  right  and  compelled  him  to  withdraw. 
Arnold  being  reinforced  rallied  to  the  attack,  again  causing 
the  British  line  to  waver ;  when  Gen.  Phillips  followed  by 


GEN".  DANIEL  MOR- 
GAN. 


f  . 


lU 


M 


1 


m: 


/i 


i'i 


lU 


40 


Riedcsel  and  his  GeniiMns,  who  hail  marched  up  from  the 
Hats  through  the  thick  woous,  appeared.  Phillips,  in  ad- 
vance of  the  heavily  accoutered  Germans,  attacked,  but 
Avith  little  effect.  But  liiedesel,  moving  to  the  attack  on  a 
line  nearly  perpendieular  to  th'tt  of  Arnold,  compelled  him 
to  give  way.  Riedesel  thus  sa  >'  ''  "goyne  from  disaster. 
For  a  while  the  conflict  ceased,  both   armies   rested. 

While  this  battle  was  raging  Gates  \wia  inside  the  intrench- 
ments,  stubbornly  refusing  further  to  reinforce  Arnold, 
although  with  reasonable  diligence  he  might  have  learned 
that  Riedesel  had  reinforced  Burgovne.  Burgoyne  re- 
newed the  battle  by  a  cannonade  and  bayonet  charge  across 
the  clearing  of  Freeman's  farm,  but  the  Americans  sent 
him  back  as  quickly  as  he  came,  following  his  retreat. 
At  this  time  Arnold  Avas  at  headquarters  vainly  asking  for 
reinforcements,  although  Neilson  says  Learned  joined 
him.  Arnold  returned  again  to  the  field  and,  encourag- 
ing his  men,  the  battle  raged  more  furiously  than  ever,  the 
opposing  lines  swaying  back  and  forth  across  the  clearing 
of  Freeman's  farm.  A  British  field  battery  of  four  guns 
Avas  repeatedly  taken  and  retaken,  but  finally  remained  with 
the  enemy.  The  American  fire  was  terribly  destructive. 
Night  put  an  end  to  the  conflict,  the  British  resting  upon 
the  field,  though  badly  crippled.  The  British  loss  ex- 
ceeded six  hundred.  The  Americans  lost  in  killed, 
wounded  and  missing  three  hundred  and  nineteen  men. 
Arnold  was  the  hero  of  the  day,  and  his  success  made  Gates 
envious.  Gates  refused  to  renew  the  engagement  next  day, 
when  requested  by  Arnold,  and  would  give  no  reason.  He 
finally  admitted  that  it  was  lack  of  ammunition.  This  was 
evidently  Gates's  neglect.  Gen.  Schuyler  then  sent  up  from 
Albany  a  supply  of  window  leads  for  bullets.  Arnold  Avas 
diligently  insulted  from  the  day  of  the  battle.  In  his  report 
Gates  did  not  mention  him,  but  said  the  battle  Avas  fought 
by  detachments  from  the  army;  and  Wilkinson,  Gates's  adju- 
tant insisted  that  the  return  of  Morgan's  rille  corps  be  made 
to  him  although  it  was  ia  Arnold's  division.  Arnold  and 
Gates  finally  came  to  an  open  rupture,  and  Gates  exercising 
his  arbitrary  powers  removed  him  from  command.    The 


41 


general  officers  prepared  an  address  asking  liim  to  stay  with 
the  army  as  another  battle  was  imminent.  This  was  with- 
held, although  Arnold  was  apprised  of  it.  Gen.  Lincoln, 
who  had  arrived  with  3,UU0  men  on  the  29th  of  September, 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  right  wing. 

Burgoyne  withdrew  a  little  on  the  20th  and  intrenched 
himself,  his  lines  resembling  in  contour  those  of  the  Ameri- 
cans (see  map).  Breyman,  with  his  Hessians,  held  a  flank 
redoubt  on  the  extreme  right,  the  Light  Infantry  under  Earl 
Balcarras,  and  Frazer's  command  occupied  the  intrench- 
ments  about  Freeman's  cottage,  with  Hamilton's  brigade  on 
the  left  extending  to  the  north  branch  ravine.  The  rest  of 
the  army,  including  Riedesel's  command,  was  on  the  river 
hills  and  the  flat  by  the  river. 

A  section  of  the  British  works  still  remains  in  a  good  state 
of  preservation  in  the  woods  on  Pine  Plains,  south-west  of 
the  present  residence  of  E.  R.  Wilbur,  on  the  road  running 
west  from  Wilbur's  Basin. 


GROUND    PLANB,  IIITISH   WORKS   ON   PINE  PLAINS. 

The  ground  on  winch  these  works  are  situated  is  owned 
by  Edward  and  William  Lerrington.  The  ground  of  the 
two  battles,  September  19  and  October  7,  is  now  owned  by 
John  Newland  of  Sdllwater,  the  widow  of  Isaac  Freeman 
and  Asa  F.  Brightman.  Joseph  Rogers  owns  tlie  ground 
where  Frazer  fell,  and  Ebenezer  Loggett  owns  the  ground 
of  the  Hessian  flank  redoubt,  commanded  by  Breyman, 
where  Arnold  was  wounded.  William  Dennison  owns  the 
site  of  Gates's  headquarters. 

The  Americans  completed  and  strengthened  their  works, 
erecting  a  strong  redoubt  on  the  heights  a  few  rods  north  of 
the  present  site  of  Neilson's  house,  where  stood  a  log  barn 
which  was  converted  into  a  block  house  and  named  Fort 
Neilson.  The  linos  v»ere  also  run  to  the  south  from  this 
point,  and  flank  defences  were  constructed. 
6 


% 


>  > 


■Ullli 


«■«■■ 


if 


I'  f 


1 « '  >i 

\4U   !" 


43 

On  the  2l8t  Burgoyne  received  a  promise  of  assistance 
from  Sir  Henry  Olintoa  at  New  York.  On  the  4th  of  Octo- 
ber Sir  Henry  and  General  Vaughan  moved  up  the  Hudson 
river.  On  the  6th  he  captured  Forts  Clinton  and  Mont- 
gomery. Fort  Montgomery  was  commanded  by  Governor 
Clinton,  and  the  other  post  by  his  brother,  Gen.  James  Clin- 
ton. The  British  ships  broke  the  chain  across  the  Hudson 
between  Fort  Montgomery  and  Anthony's  Nose  and  sailed 


SALLY   PORT   OF   BRITISH   WORKS   ON    PINE   PLAINS   AS    IT 

APPEARS    NOW. 

up  the  river.  On  the  9th  Governor  Clinton  captured  a  mes- 
senger from  Fort  Montgomery  to  Burgoyne.  He  was  seen 
hastily  to  swallow  something,  and  was  given  a  dose  of  tartar 
emetic,  throwing  up  a  silver  bullet  containing  a  dispatch 
from  Fort  Montgomery,  saying  the  way  was  clear  to  reach 
Gates's  army.  Upon  the  I3th  of  October  the  fleet  moved 
up  and  burned  Kingston.  Clinton  arrived  too  late  to  save 
the  town,  but  immediately  hung  the  spy  upon  an  apple  tree. 
Lossing  says  he  saw  the  bullet  a  few  years  ago  in  possession 
of  Charles  Clinton  a  grandson  of  General  James  Clinton. 
The  British  pushed  on  as  far  as  Livingston's  Manor,  but 
there  heard  of  Burgoyne's  defeat  on  the  7th  of  October  and 
returned  to  New  York, 


pm 


y-^i 


THE  SECOND  BATTLE  OF  BEMIS  HEIGHTS, 


m- 


OCTOBER  7,  1777. 


[NS  AS   IT 


FTER  the  19th  of  September  militia  flocked  to  Gates's 
army  from  all  quarters,  and  at  the  close  of  the  month 
he  had  a  formidable  force.  Gates  moved  his  quarters 
from  Bemis's  to  the  left  of  the  line.  On  the  1st  of 
October  Burgoyne  put  his  army  on  short  allowance. 
On  the  west,  the  wings  of  the  two  armies  were 
within  cannon  shot.  On  the  fourth,  Burgoyne 
consulted  Riedesel,  Phillips  and  Fraser.  Burgoyne 
proposed  another  attempt  to  turn  the  American  left. 
Eiedesel  advised  a  retreat  to  Fort  Edward.  Frazer  was 
willing  to  fight.  On  the  7th  of  October,  shirking  the  respon- 
sibility of  ordering  a  battle,  Burgoyne  ordered  a  reconnoi- 
sance  in  force.  This  resolution  to  fight,  after  the  experience 
of  the  19th  September,  and  when  hopelessly  outnumbered  is 
uuaccountable,  except  on  the  theory  that  Burgoyne  was  too 
proud  to  retreat  or  had  lost  his  grip  as  a  cautious  general, 
through  indolence  and  excesses.  Whatever  happened  he 
was  certain  of  reproach  if  he  did  not  succeed,  so  he  fought. 
Bnrgoyne  with  1,500  men,  eight  cannon  and  two  howit- 
zers, marched  out  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  and  formed  on 
an  eminence  (indicated  on  the  map)  west  of  the  British 
right  wing.  Five  hundred  rangers  and  savages  were  sent  to 
make  a  circuit  to  the  rear  of  the  American  left  and  produce 
a  diversion.  They  drove  in  the  American  pickets  and 
advanced  toward  the  breastwork  south  of  Fort  Neilson,  but 
were  driven  back  by  a  sharp  fire.    Before  Burgoyne  had 


f 

p., 

'1 


'*n 


44 

formed  his  line  the  Americans  were  on  the  alert.  The 
American  left  was  composed  of  two  brigades  nnder  Generals 
Poor  and  Learned,  with  Morgan's  liifle  corps  and  New 
Eagland  Militia.  Morgan,  with  about  fifteen  hundred  men, 
was  ordered  out  to  an  eminence  on  Burgoyne's  right,  while 
General  Poor's  brigade  and  a  pare  of  Lsarned's  moved  to 
attack  the  British  left  and  center.  Morgan  first  became 
engaged  with  the  Canadians  and  savages  whom  he  drove 
back  to  the  main  British  line.  On  the  left  of  the  British 
line,  whicli  had  moved  forward  to  a  wheat  field,  was  Major 
Ackland  with  the  artillery  under  Major  Williams.  The 
center  was  composed  of  Brunswickers  under  Riodesel,  and 
British  under  Phillips.  The  light  infantry  under  Earl 
Balcarras  was  on  tlie  left.  In  advance  of  the  right  was 
Frazer  with  five  hundred  (Neilson  says  a  thousand)  picked 
men.  At  half-past  two  o'clock  the  Americans  attacked  both 
flanks  of  the  British.  The  British  artillery  on  the  left 
fired  over  the  heads  of  the  Americans,  who  rapidly  advanced 
and  delivering  their  fire  opened  to  right  and  left,  sheltering 
themselves  by  the  woods  fronting  the  Bi-itish  to  avoid  the 
sweep  of  the  artillery,  then  charged  to  the  very  mouths  of 
the  cannon.  Five  times  one  of  the  cannon  was  taken  and 
retaken,  finally  remaining  with  the  Americans,  the  British 
falling  back.  The  Americans  greatly  encouraged  pressed 
the  British  on  every  side.  Major  Ackland*  was  shot 
through  both  legs  and  made  a  prisoner,  and  Major  Williams 
was  captured.  On  the  British  right  Morgan  made  a  furious 
attack  and  drove  Frazer  back  to  the  main  line.  Morgan 
moved  quickly  to  the  left  and  again  attacked  the  British  right 
throwing  it  into  confusion.     While  changing  position  to 


*  Major  Ackland  was  carried  to  General  Poor's  (laarters  (the  Neilson  House) 
whard  his  wife,  Lady  Harriet  Ackland,  who  had  been  with  him  In  the  British  army 
since  IWS.  joined  him  two  days  after  the  battle.  This  beautiful  and  accomplished 
lady,  with  a  letter  from  Uurgoyne,  was  carried  in  an  open  bo  t  accompanied  by 
Chaplain  BradenellaiidatteiKJuuCB,  from  13urgoyac'«  urmy,  north  of  Wilbur's  Basiu 
down  the  river  duriuu  a  drenching  rain  storm  and  lauded  at  tbe  American  Intr  nch- 
montaou  the  river  tliit.  When  the  sentinel  hailed  them  Lady  Harriet  answered- 
She  wa<  then  convoyed  to  her  wounded  hu:ibaud.  Major  Ackland  at  a  dinner 
party,  alter  his  return  lo  Euglan  i,  warmly  defondcd  American  c  )urdge  against  the 
a^perdious  uf  Licutenunt  LIuyd.  A  duel  followed  in  which  Major  Ackland  was 
shot  deed.  Lady  Harriet  vas  insane  for  two  years  on  accouut  of  his  death,  but  re- 
covered and  married  Chaplain  BrudenelL 


'4^      . 

meet  Morgan,  Major  Dearborn  attacked  the  British  in  front. 
The  British  right  tlien  gave  way,  but  was  formed  again  in 
the  rear  by  Earl  Balcurras  and  brought  into  action.  Arnold, 
though  deprived  of  command,  had  watched  the  battle,  and 
becoming  greatly  excited,  sprang  npon  his  horse,  and  with- 
out orders,  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  three  regiments  of 
Learned's  brigade,  and  led  them  against  the  enemy's  center. 
Tne  troops  were  inspired  by  the  presence  of  their  old  and 
trusted  commander,  and  made  such  a  charge  that  the 
British  center  was  broken,  giving  way  in  disorder.  When 
Gates  learned  that  Arnold  had  joined  the  battle  he  sent 
Major  Armstrong  to  order  him  back,  but  Armstrong  could 
not  follow  where  the  intrepid  commander  led  and  did  not 
come  up  with  him  until  ho  was  wounded  in  carrying  Brey- 
man's  redoubt. 

Arnold  and  Morgan  were  now  the  leading  spirits,  and  in- 
spired by  them,  the  British  were  pressed  from  every  ([uarter. 
Frazer,  the  bravest  and  best  of  Burgoyne's  officers,  was 
making  every  eflfort  to  rally  the  troops  and  hold  the  line.  He 
was  everywhere  conspicuous  on  an  iron  grey  charger.  He 
alone  could  bringorder  out  of  the  confusion,  and  wherever  he 
rode  the  troops  fought  with  neAv  spirit.  In  the  thickest  of 
the  fight  he  was  shot  by  one  of  Morgan's  riflemen,  (Timo- 
thy Murphy),  it  is  said,  at  the  suggestion  of  Arnold. 

A  panic  seized  the  British  and  Burgoyne  took  command 
in  person,  but  the  master  spirit  had  I'allen,  and  the  Ameri- 
cans being  reinforced  by  three  thousand  men  under  General 
Ten  Broeck,  the  whole  British  line  gave  way  and  fell  back 
to  their  intrenchments,  leaving  their  cannon  behind,  most 
of  the  artillerymen  and  horses  being  slain.  The  Americans 
pursued ;  and  led  by  Arnold  the  lines  commanded  by  Earl 
Balcarras  were  assaulted,  but  without  success.  Arnold  then 
assaulted  the  British,  between  Breyman's  redoubt  and 
Earl  Balcarras's  line,  defended  by  Canadians  and  Tories, 
Hero  at  length  the  British  gave  way.  Arnold  then 
ordered  a  general  assault  while  he  with  the  regiment  of 
Brooks  assaulted  the  German  flank  redoubt  commanded  by 


i'\ 


f: 


■'I 


I  >    I!    :  I 

m  11 


•M 


y .  ] 


46 

Breyman  and  already  engaged  by  Learned.    Arnold  rushed 

into  the  sally  port  with  his 
powerful  horse,  spreading 
terror  among  the  Germans 
who  had  seen  him  unharm- 
ed in  the  thickest  of  the 
fight.  The  Germans  fled 
giving  a  parting  volley 
which  shattered  Arnold's 
leg  that  had  been  wounded 
at  Quebec,  and  killing  his 
horse.  Broymau  was  mor- 
tally wounded  and  died  on 
the  field.  Major  Armstrong, 
^  with  a  message  from  Gates 
found  Arnold  wounded  in 
the  redoubt.  Arnold's  brav- 


H 
03 
IJ 
O 

§   ery  had  again  crowned  the 

^   American  arms.    Night,  or 

!«!   the  loss  of  Arnold  in  the 

S   field,  put  an  end  to  the  con- 

-4   iiict.     For  his  daring  and 

ability  to   skillfully  handle 

troops  in  action,  a  modern 

writer  has  named    Arnold 

the  Ney  or  Desaix  of  the 

American  revolution.  Arnold 

was    borne    to    camp   and 

thence  to  a  hospital  at  Albany,  where  he  was  under  the  care 

of  the  good  Dr.  Thacher.*     While  Arnold  was  winning  the 


o 

H 


*  Thacher  in  his  Military  Jounial  Rays  that  Arnold  in  the  desperate  charge  at 
flreyman's  redoubt,  "had  eo  little  control  of  his  mind,  that  while  brandUhing  his 
bword  in  animating  the  offlcerB  and  Boldiers,  he  struck  Captain  Pettingill  and  Cap- 
tain Brown,  and  wounded  one  of  them  on  the  head  without  assigning  any  canse. 
Thete  officers  the  next  day  requested  Colonel  BroolcB  to  accompany  them  to  Arnold's 
quarters  to  demand  an  explanation.  He  disavowed  any  recollection  of  the  fact, 
and  denied  that  he  had  struck  an  officer;  but  when  convinced  of  it,  readily  offered 
the  required  apology.''  Dr.  Thacher  also  wrote  in  his  Military  Journal  on  the  12th 
of  nctober :  "  The  last  night  I  watched  with  the  celebrated  General  Arnold,  whose 
legs  was  badly  fractured  by  a  musket  ball  while  in  an  engagement  with  the  ene- 
my on  ihe  7th  lost.  He  is  very  peevish,  and  impatient  under  his  miafortnnes  and 
required  all  my  attention  during  the  night." 


f- 


1 


47 

battle,  Gates  (according  to  Wilkinson,  hia  adjutant),  was  in 
his  camp  discussing  the  merits  of  the  struggle  with  Sir 
Francis  Clarke,  Burgoyne's  aid,  who,  wounded  and  a  prison- 
er, afterward  died.  Gates  in  his  report,  which  he  insulting- 
ly sent  to  congress  instead  of  Washington,  barely  mentioned 
Arnold  and  Morgan. 

About  midnight  General  Lincoln's  division,  which  had 
remained  in  camp,  marched  out  to  the  relief  of  those  upon 
the  field.  The  American  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and  miss- 
ing did  not  exceed  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  Arnold  was 
about  the  only  officer  wounded.  The  British  lost  seven 
hundred.  The  field  of  Freeman's  farm  where  the  most 
desperate  fighting  occurred  and  where  the  British  dead  were 
hastily  buried,  has  been  prolific  in  interesting  relics.  Elisha 
Freeman,  whose  grandfather  owned  the  farm,  and  was  an 
American  scout,  has  a  large  collection. 


UELICS  FROM  FREEMAN's  FARM.* 

In  1823,  Ebenezer  Leggett  came  from  Westchester  county 
to  the  old  Freeman  form.  At  i,hat  time  the  British  re- 
doubts were  well  defined.  Mr.  Leggett  has  plowed  up  great 
numbers  of  skeletons,  rifle  and  cannon  balls,  and  twenty  or 
thirty  years  ago  plowed  np  the  well-preserved  skeleton  of  an 
officer  wrapped  in  a  blanket.  A  part  of  the  red  uniform 
was  entire,  the  color  being  unchanged.  He  still  exhibits  it 
to  curious  visitors.  He  also  has  well-preserved  skulls. 
When  Mr.  Leggett  moved  and  repaired  a  barn  on  the  Free- 
man farm,  about  1846,  he  found  quite  a  large  sum  of  money. 
British  gold  and  silver,  guineas  j,nd  half-joes.  It  was  scat- 
tered over  a  space  of  about  forty  square  feet  near  where  a  log 


*  This  gronp  con»istB  of  a  cartridge  box,  bayonet,  sliver  knife,  tomahawk,  a  largo 
button,  from  the  uniform  of  Colonel  Peter  Gansevoort  (presented  to  Mr.  Fret-inan  by 
Qan^evnort'sdoscendanti'),  anda  email  militaiy  button  worn  by  a  member  of  the 
a4th  British  regiment 


■if 

i 

m 


^ 


i 


n 


.\' 


■i  ■»'i 


house  atood  in  the  time  of  the  revolution.  The  sum  is 
stated  by  Mr.  Leggctt  ut  between  eiglity  and  ninety  dollars. 
It  is  reported,  however,  in  the  neighborhood  that  the  sum 
made  a  good  fortune. 

Breyman's  redoubt  captured  by  Arnold  was  the  key  to 
the  British  position,  and  on  the  night  of  the  7th,  Burgoyne 
moved  his  artillery  and  stores  to  a  point  a  mile  north  of  his 
first  position  at  Wilbur's  Basin,  still  holding  the  redoubts 
on  the  river  hills  north  of  the  Basin. 

The  gallant  Frazer  was  conveyed  to  the  house  of  John 
Taylor  near  Wilbur's  Basin  where  he  expired  on  the  morn- 
ing of  October  8th.  The  house  was  standing  until  184G. 
The  Baroness  Rledeeel,  who  occupied  the  liouse  on  the  day 
of  the  battle  writes :  "About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  in- 
stead of  the  guests,  which  I  expecti'd,  General  Frazer  vi^as 
brought  on  a  litter,  mortally  wounded.  *  *  ♦  General 
Frazer  said  to  the  surgeon,  *  Tell  me  if  my  wound  is  mor- 
tal ;  do  not  flutter  me.'  The  ball  had  passed  through  his 
body.  *  *  He  was  asked  if  he  had  any  request  to  make, 
to  which  he  replied  that  if  General  Burgoyne  would  permit 
it,  he  should  like  to  be  buried  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
on  the  top  of  a  mountain,  in  a  redoubt  which  had  been  built 
there.     *    *     * 

I  could  not  sleep  as  I  had  General  Frazer  and  all  the 
other  wounded  genclemen  in  my  room.  About  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  I  was  told  he  could  not  hold  out  much 
longer  ;  I  had  desired  to  be  informed  of  the  near  approach 
of  this  sad  crisis,  and  I  then  wrapped  up  my  children  in 
their  clothes,  and  went  with  them  into  the  room  below. 
About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  died.  After  he  was 
laid  out,  and  his  corpse  wrapped  up  in  a  sheet,  we  came 
again  into  the  room,  and  had  this  sorrowful  sight  before  us 
the  whole  day. 

*  *  We  knew  that  General  Burgoyne  would  not  refuse 
the  last  request  of  General  Frazer,  though  by  his  acceding 
to  it,  an  unnecessary  delay  was  occasioned,  by  which  the  in- 
convenience of  the  army  was  much  increased.  At  six  o'clock 
the  corpse  was  brought  out,  and  we  saw  all  the  generals  at- 
tend it  to  the  mountain.    The  chaplain,  Mr.  Brudenell,  per- 


49 

formoil  tlie  funeral  service,  rendered  unusuiilly  solemn  and 
awl'iil  from  its  being  uccompanied  by  constiint  peala  from 
the  enemy's  iirtillery.  Muny  cannon  balls  flew  close  by  me, 
but  I  had  my  eyes  directed  toward  the  mountain  where  my 
husband  was  standing  amid  the  fire  of  the  enemy." 


SITE  OF  THE  GREAT  REDOUBT  WHERE  FRAZEU  WAS  BURIED. 

The  mountain  with  Ibe  redoubt  upon  it  of  which  the  Baro- 
ness gpeaks,  is  what  is  known  as  the  "  great  redoubt "  and 
is  the  second  spur  of  the  river  hills  north  of  Wilbur's  Basin. 
It  now  shows  no  vestiges  of  a  redoubt,  the  plow  having  done 
its  work. 

Two  lonely  pines  guard  the  resting  place  of  the  gallant 
oflicer  who  fought  for  a  coronet  and  found  his  grave  there. 
Much  interest  attaches  to  this  hill.  The  American  cannon 
which  fired  upon  the  burial  party  were  posted  on  the  plain 
southwest  of  the  redoubt,  the  Americans  having  advanced 
and  occupied  the  British  iutrenchments  and  pushed  parties 
forward  to  harrass  Burgoyne's  flank.  It  is  said  the  Ameri- 
cans fired  minute  guns  when  they  ascertained  it  was  a  burial 
party. 

The    burial   hill     is     a    conspicuous  landmark.     Mrs. 
Catharine  Barker,  a  daughter  of  Fones  Wilbur,  from  whom 
Wilbur's  Basin  was  named,  and  grand-daughter  of  John  Mc- 
Carthy, who  first  bought  the  land  about  the  Basin,  200 
7  ......  .  


.» *i.»ii 


&. 


I 


f. 


■it 


f 


k,.  '> 


■I: 
.  'i-n 


II 


i 


50 

acres,  from  the  Schuyler  ["^fceut,  relates  that  withia  lier  rec- 
ollection, the  bnrial'  hill  wascovered  with  excaviytions  made 
by  parties  searching  for  Frazer's  remains  or  for  money.  To 
her  knowledge,  and  she  is  a  very  intelligent  and  active  lady, 
no  traces  of  Frazer's  remains  were  ever  discovered.  She 
has  come  to  question  the  fact  of  his  burial  there,  and  is  in- 
clined to  believe  that  it  is  not  knort'n  where  Frazer  was 
buried.     She  is  quite  certain  that  his   remains  have   never 


MRS.  CATHARINE  BARKEIl. 

been  remo\ed,  although  somo  Englist  men  visited  the  region 
a  long  time  ago  to  ascertain  his  burial  place. 

After  the  burial  of  Frazer,  on  the  nigfit  of  the  8th,  Bur- 
goyue  retreated  without  his  sick  and  wounded,  in  a  heavy 
rain,  reaching  Saratoga  on  the  evening  of  theDbli ;  and  on  the 
10th  crossed  the  Fish  Creek  where  intrenchments  had  b^'en 
previously  thrown  up  by  Frazer.  The  Americans  harrassed 
the  British  along  their  line  of  retreat,  on  the  rear  and  both 
flanks.  A  party  was  found  in  front  of  Saratoga  throwing 
up  intrencliments.  The  retreat  was  a  bad  affair.  Every- 
body was  wet,  tired  and  hungry.  Gen.  Phillips  said  to 
Baroness  Riedesel  who  wanted  to  go  forward  as  Burgoyne 
Avas  halting  at  Do-ve-gat,  "  What  a  pity  it  is  you  are  not 
our  commanding  general"  There  is  great  si'rnificanco  in 
this  censure  of  Burgoyne.    The  Baroness  was  under  the 


ffe 


51 


Arnericfin  fire  a  goofl  part  of  tlie  way.  After  the  army 
reached  Saratoga  the  Americans  under  General  Feilows 
lired  cannon  shot  into  the  camp  from  a  battery  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Hudson.  The  Baroness  and  a  number  of  her 
friends  took  refuge  in  the  cellar  of  a  house  Avhich  is  still  stand- 
ing. The  heights  about  Burgoyne's  camp  were  soon  occu- 
pied and  intrenched  by  the  Americans  in  strong  force,  and 
Burgoyne's  supplies  were  cut  off.  It  even  became  danger- 
ous to  procure  water  and  the  army  suffered  greatly  on  ac- 
count of  insufficient  food. 

An  attempt  to  retreat  to  Fort  Etlward  failed.  That  post 
had  been  occupied  by  the  Americans  under  Col.  Coelnan. 
Burgoyne's  provisions  on  his  batteaux  were  destroyed. 
Gates,  who  was  far  in  the  rear,  heard  that  Burgoyne  had 
gone  to  Fort  Edward,  leaving  but  a  rear  guard,  and  ordered 
Gen.  Nixon  to  cross  Fish  Creek.  IJe  crossed,  lut  was  at- 
tacked by  an  overwhelming^  force  and  retreated  with  some 
loss.  Finally  Burgoyne  consulted  his  generals  on  the  12th 
and  on  the  13th,  called  a  council  of  all  officers.  Wh'le  it 
was  being  held  a  cannon  shot  swept  across  the  table  and 
cut  their  deliberations  short.  It  'vas  resolved  to  open  a 
treaty  for  surrender.  The  same  evening  a  flag  of  truce  was 
sent  to  Gates  and  negotiations  begun.  Hostilities  ceased  on 
the  15th  and  the  convention  was  signed  on  the  17th,  when 
the  British  army  laid  down  their  arms,  being  sent  to  Eng- 
land on  parole,  the  officers  retaining  their  side  arms  and 
])aggage.  Thus  ended  tl)e  disastrous  campaigu  of  Burgoyne. 
The  British  and  Germans  were  marched  under  escort  to 
Boston  where  they  embarked  for  England.  After  his 
surrender.  Gen.  Burgoyne  was  entertained  by  Gen.  Schuy- 
ler at  Albany,  although  he  had  ordered  Schuyler's  house  at 
Saratoga,  to  be  burned. 


'■V:i. 


> 

■'B 

1 

'■r^ 

■1^ 

■      t 

!• 
/. 

m. 


1 1*1 


f 


t 


BENNINGTON  BATTLE  HILL,  BY  THE  WALLOOMSAC. 


'^^m 


•;:^.-■,■.•■H 


'f- '' 


II 


,-    J. 


^;,  -..j.  ;/.V 


vi     ^V', 


;rr 


'.  •  ■■  .■^v  .^'■.  ,'v.' 


^.  .;  :,v;v  ■^V,;  ■ 

';^'>.'.-  -'.r 

*^""  -/v 

"'^. 

',  "'  ■•■":^'-'"^-'   *■'" "  '■ 

■''■^'.{■■, 

.'.- 

''  ,  '■  i 

1\ 

"  ;-'-■'■>- r-^:.'^:...': .' 

,<'■■    '•' 

t  ;. 

'- . ''-'  ' 

.'■-.k 

''.•^"-., 

V 

'Sf':;-;  .' 

h-"''"'^-'^V'''  *. 

->.-"-■,'■,.. 

'  V* " 

'  J:-^ 

" 

-     ,'.    .'.  *  ■    -.    ,     -v 

■  ■4'1.-,  "^   A. 

"..    ..  *■"■      ■  ^  i  .  . 

'  if.; 

'  '      '  V 

_,    ■]■'      \'r''  ■    ■,>4*'^ 

i%'^;-.iK 

>■< 

S':';'^^^^v 

''"-.' ■^^■,'^;v"^ 

-■'•'^^-^'"' 

}  ■ ' 

"., 

v>-^   ,  v*/:';;. 

.,■■,--..-,  ■■•■^'v-f 

".■'•('.-. 

'  .  •  'J  .t'^"''.'  ■  ...     'U', 

■      '         '-v   ■      ■-'•      ;.' 

V 

'':-.^:i^^€[t 

;^:€f\-] 

■■V'.'t 

_■('■ 

■>     ; 

■   .■  '  ^:  ,■  >  V- 

'.■V  ''.'  ■■  • 

■     !„ 

A,*: 

^ 

;.v..  ■■'     "-.."".     .    v-' 

.  '^"'.^  ■■"• 

•''    ■         ..'■  K 

.^^ 

.* 

f 

■ '  ■   ■     .'-..'' 

,  ',  '■ .'. 

■^    ■'/ 

■    '•; 

.  -^ 

:i. 

•  .-:■•>■■    '  ''  '  'J 

r-'  '',' 

'■':."* 

'  .  ■  "  ' 

\-' 

\ 

::■'■- '■t*' 

-■'  '^ 

■■, 

.'-, 

-"'•'■     ■/    I'v  '  -'■t^■ 

^-   ■  -  " 

■"^" 

o--!!-J-:f'  V 

■,■■■'*'  ■-■>:».■. 

,V'; '■■*;;■ 

'  '■■' 

^     .     ■'     .J 

-.  ■■:i?.' 


J> 

> 

\ 

Ti?'. 


,-w;''J'>v' 


V"  ..f 


ir-h 


■."*\.-^-i.-»asife  ■, 


^  *  ^ 


8  *)r4,i 


ife*-f 


.#i. 


i\»-'V,i 


<i 


yj-^-t' 


<v  ■ 


'^^^ 


V 


^Tf'%^' 


-  *w  ;vv 


^ 


,1!-^, 


?wT 


/' 


''i- 


1*' 


V. 


,*"', 
,%.-»' 


',V>-. 


^  ^ 


f<~"< 


■  «v  "^ 


J\  > 


'-i^. 


>  ■*    -     ,* 


A        !'■ 


I-., 


^&  * 


ft-*. 


f^^ 


-JT' 


<   >  ■**' 


X_«  J"' 


t^"- 


F'*^J4  ^''. 


■^    3 


^,i, 


^^ 


A^. 


.'#. 


"i  .  y  :^ 


•'T'-, 


/t 


>V'%^,'J 


'•t^)!#"' 


V5i%VfY/l 


■■.**»y 


'■&'"l 


■J-^/ 


»-r 


:^  I 


.S:^ 


%f  ■ ,-._  j._< 


M-^,  V 


'-^^  ?■. 


,' , ..  ■•I 


'' '  -r  r^l  * 


-,-■> 

•■  -.y-rv 

-'.     X   J 

'-*•  > 

'  .'M 

-'^    '        ,?*'W    ^ 

h'i 


1  ■  n 


ft 


: 
i 


